Sen. Ted Cruz reportedly took aim at former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Thursday for agreeing to speak at the Doha Forum in Qatar this weekend, accusing the commentator of being “#QatarFirst.” But the jab quickly backfired when social media users noted that the same event is featuring several of Cruz’s own political allies, including two of his former national security advisers.
Carlson’s scheduled appearance prompted Cruz to publicly criticize the forum, which takes place annually in Qatar’s capital and draws international political figures from across the ideological spectrum. Yet among the listed speakers is Victoria Coates, who served as Cruz’s national security adviser from 2013 to 2016 before joining the Trump administration in 2019. Coates is slated to participate in a panel addressing U.S. strategy in the Middle East, co-hosted by the Atlantic Council — an organization Cruz himself has worked with.
Another former Cruz adviser, Fred Fleitz, is also on the program. Fleitz, now vice chair of the America First Policy Institute and a contributor at Newsmax, previously advised Cruz as a member of his 2016 National Security Coalition. His involvement further undercut the senator’s criticism of Carlson.
But Cruz’s ties to the Doha Forum don’t end there. The list of speakers includes Omeed Malik, a businessman who donated to Cruz in 2023, as well as a long roster of prominent Trump allies: Donald Trump Jr.; Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz; former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whittaker; U.S. Ambassador to Turkiye Thomas Barrack; and Breitbart Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle. Their participation signals that the event is drawing heavy engagement from high-profile conservatives aligned with President Donald Trump.
The conference will also feature well-known liberal and globalist figures, including Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, and multiple CNN correspondents — a reminder that the Doha Forum has become a meeting place for political elites across party lines, despite longstanding concerns over Qatar’s foreign policy and influence campaigns.
Cruz’s “#QatarFirst” remark appeared aimed at framing Carlson’s participation as out of step with conservative priorities, particularly given Carlson’s reputation for challenging international institutions and foreign entanglements. Yet the fact that several of the senator’s own former advisers — along with major Trump-world figures — are sharing the stage complicates Cruz’s attack and raises questions about whether the criticism was aimed at Carlson personally rather than the venue itself.
Carlson has increasingly positioned himself as an independent conservative voice since leaving Fox News, engaging in global interviews and public appearances outside mainstream media environments. His participation in the Doha Forum fits that pattern, and the backlash from Cruz may signal broader tensions within the populist-Right over messaging, foreign policy, and public alignment.
Meanwhile, the participation of Coates, Fleitz, and other Trump-aligned conservatives underscores the degree to which American political figures — including those close to Cruz — continue to engage with international forums even when such appearances draw scrutiny at home.
For now, the controversy reveals deeper fractures within the conservative movement, where intra-party criticism can boomerang quickly in an era where political affiliations and advisory networks are deeply interconnected.
[READ MORE: GAO Launches Investigation Into FHFA Director Bill Pulte After Democrats Object to His Scrutiny of Their Allies]
