The Tucker Carlson Show: James Fishback on DeSantis’s Attack on Free Speech, Randy Fine’s Bloodlust, & America Last Globalism

Episode Date: January 9, 2026
Host: Tucker Carlson
Guest: James Fishback (Florida Gubernatorial Candidate, entrepreneur, activist)

Overview

This episode features James Fishback, a fourth-generation Floridian and current gubernatorial candidate, in an unfiltered conversation with Tucker Carlson. The two discuss the erosion of America First priorities in Florida, focusing on issues such as preferential treatment for foreign students, the economic collapse of local industries, free speech attacks under Governor Ron DeSantis, the outsized influence of foreign donors (especially related to Israel), and the impacts of unchecked globalism. Fishback presents a populist, nationalist vision for Florida, critiquing both Democratic and Republican establishments and advocating for bold executive action.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fishback’s Motivation: Running for Governor to Defend Floridian Interests

• Timestamp: [00:08]–[01:50]
• Fishback expresses deep concern about Floridians being “forced out” due to affordability crises, while illegal immigrants and foreign workers benefit from legacy policies.
• Argues that trades and educational opportunities are being given away to “600,000 foreign students” (with up to 200,000 potentially in Florida) as part of US–China trade negotiations.
  • Quote: “Your entire life has been shelved because we need to have a grand negotiating strategy with China… it’s destroying lives here in Florida.” — Fishback, [01:18]
• Criticizes the educational system for prioritizing international students over native Floridians, claiming this undermines local culture and opportunity.

2. Florida Higher Education: Foreign Student Policy and Proposals

• Timestamp: [03:29]–[05:19]
• Fishback proposes a dramatic solution: raise tuition for all foreign students to $1 million/year to ensure Floridian students regain access to state universities.
  • Quote: “Day one, my first executive order as governor…is to raise tuition on all foreign students to $1 million a year. So, Tucker, when they can’t pay, they’re out and our kids are back.” — Fishback, [03:44]
• Discussion about the contributions of Floridian families to public universities and the moral case for preferential treatment.

3. DeSantis, State Government, and Indoctrination

• Timestamp: [03:24]–[04:23]
• Carlson and Fishback both credit DeSantis for resisting COVID-era school closures and progressive school indoctrination, but Fishback sees the administration as reactive rather than proactive on key issues.

4. Economic Globalism & Racial Identity Politics

• Timestamp: [05:49]–[08:14]
• Fishback recounts the delisting of his merit-based investment firm after it moved to exclude companies abusing H1B programs, arguing systemic racism exists “against white Christian men.”
  • Quote: “The only systemic racism in America is against white Christian men.” — Fishback, [07:48]

5. Decline of Florida Industry: Citrus Collapse

• Timestamp: [11:22]–[14:56]
• Fishback traces Florida’s devastating drop in citrus production, blaming “greening” disease from China, but ultimately highlights local and national government neglect as the true cause.
  • Quote: “Much like Covid, Tucker, it wasn’t China, it was government apathy, indifference, and an intentional sabotage of our country against its own people.” — Fishback, [13:13]
• Proposes a $1 billion prize for scientists to cure citrus greening.

6. State Policy & Foreign Influence: The Israel Question

• Timestamp: [16:03]–[20:13]
• Critiques DeSantis’s signing of Florida's hate speech law targeting anti-Semitism while visiting Israel, describing it as “an elaborate humiliation ritual.”
  • Quote: “It’s against the law to criticize Israel.” — Carlson, [17:19]
• Fishback vows to divest Florida’s $385 million in Israeli bonds and redirect the funds to helping young Floridians buy homes.
  • Quote: “At day one as governor, executive order number two would be to fully divest all foreign bonds of any country ... and create a statewide down payment assistance program for young married couples.” — Fishback, [19:00]

7. Free Speech Suppressed: The Florida Hate Speech Law

• Timestamp: [16:12]–[19:14], [70:01]–[70:38]
• Fishback and Carlson argue that state statutes defining anti-Semitism criminalize not only discriminatory actions but also criticism of Israeli policy, infringing on free academic debate.
• Discussion of Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins’ assertion that “you do not have a right to hurt people with your words,” which both find antithetical to American values.

8. Donors, Political Corruption, & “America Last” Politics

• Timestamp: [24:10]–[25:03], [32:07]–[33:46]
• Criticism of wealthy donors, especially from outside interests, for influencing Florida policy, including the unprecedented exemption in pension fund rules allowing only Israeli sovereign debt.
  • Quote: “The Florida state pension framework prohibits all foreign government bond purchases with one exception, Israel.” — Fishback, [25:03]
• Fishback accuses his primary opponents, especially Byron Donalds and Randy Fine, of being beholden to these interests.
  • “$5 million in an uncontested primary until five weeks ago. Until I entered.” — Fishback, [34:05]

9. Randy Fine, "Genocide Guy", and Political Bullying

• Timestamp: [16:03]–[31:58]
• Randy Fine is linked to Florida’s controversial hate speech law and accused of celebrating Palestinian deaths online.
• Fishback describes an intimidating 42-minute call from Fine to dissuade his run.
  • Quote: “He proceeds to call me out...intimidate me into not challenging our—” — Fishback, [29:29]

10. Corporate Housing, Foreign Buyers & Home Ownership

• Timestamp: [34:13]–[37:29]
• Fishback proposes banning foreign nationals, private equity (e.g., Blackstone), and Airbnb speculators from buying Florida single-family homes.
  • Quote: “Executive order number three is that I would ban Blackstone, any private equity firm, any Airbnb speculator, and any foreign national from buying a single-family home in this state.” — Fishback, [35:32]
• Asserts these buyers price out Floridian families and create an economy of permanent renters.

11. Identity Politics and “Tethering” the Black American Experience

• Timestamp: [38:35]–[41:23]
• Discussion transitions to Byron Donalds’ claims of being a descendent of American slavery, which foundational Black Americans challenge due to his Jamaican and Panamanian roots.
  • Quote: “That’s actually cultural appropriation, appropriating a struggle of slavery.” — Fishback, [39:46]
• Both guests criticize the left- and (increasingly) right-wing reliance on identity politics and accuse state law of uniquely privileging right-wing identity claims.

12. Media Smears, Scandals, & Personal Attacks

• Timestamp: [50:14]–[53:02]
• Carlson explicitly states he refuses to platform allegations against Fishback regarding sexual misconduct, noting judicial exoneration.
• Discussion of attacks on Fishback’s evolving policy perspectives; Fishback defends his intellectual “evolution,” influenced partly by conservative alternative media.

13. Populist Economic Priorities: Homeownership Over GDP

• Timestamp: [53:02]–[56:32]
• Fishback describes how his economic views shifted from conventional free-market orthodoxy (influenced by macro trading and think tanks) toward placing family formation and homeownership as the central priorities.

14. High School Debate, Wokeness, and Gen Z Politics

• Timestamp: [56:32]–[58:41]
• Fishback recounts personal experience fighting left-wing orthodoxy in high school debate circuits (including overt Marxist judges).
• Argues that institutional capture and “America Last” ideology have become entrenched even in extracurricular activities.

15. Immigration, Education, and Executive Action

• Timestamp: [73:58]–[75:47]
• Fishback promises to issue an executive order expelling all illegal immigrant children from Florida public schools as part of his America First agenda.
  • Quote: “Executive order number four is to remove all illegal immigrant children from our school. I had someone ask me recently, isn’t that cruel? I said, no, ma’am. What’s cruel is to force American citizens to dilute their education…” — Fishback, [75:47]

16. Campaign Strategy, Local Engagement, and the Primary

• Timestamp: [65:40]–[74:31]
• Fishback outlines a statewide grassroots campaign, including a “Waffle House tour,” promising to meet voters face-to-face in all 67 counties.
• Sees opportunity for crossover appeal to Democrats and independents due to broad disaffection with the current political establishment and the corruption of “America Last” Republican leaders.
  • Quote: “I am never, never going to shy away from the people that I’m asking to hire me.” — Fishback, [67:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Homeownership as a Benchmark:
  "If you can’t buy a home, can you get married? If you can’t get married, can you have kids? If you can’t have kids, then what on earth is the point, Tucker?" — Fishback, [25:57]

• On Free Speech:
  "You do not have a right to hurt people with your words." — Jay Collins (cited by Fishback), [70:08]
  Carlson: “That’s the most left wing thing you could ever say...That’s the whole ideology of the left.”

• On Foreign Influence:
  "If there was some Chinese guy … being involved in US politics?... He would literally get investigated by the DOJ on some made up money laundering charge." — Fishback, [44:35]

• On Identity Politics:
  "But it’s interesting that there's only a hate speech law for one particular foreign nation as opposed to anything. I'm against them entirely because they're blatantly unconstitutional." — Fishback, [41:53]

• On Policy Evolution:
  "Oh yeah, they have [changed]. My views have changed completely. So I'm with you." — Fishback, [52:50]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:08] – [01:50]: Fishback explains his motivation to run and critiques current immigration/trade policy impacts on Florida.
• [03:29] – [05:19]: Policy proposal: $1m tuition for all foreign students.
• [11:22] – [14:56]: Florida’s citrus industry collapse – root causes, government failure, and recovery plan.
• [16:03] – [20:13]: The Israel bond debate, Florida’s unique pension fund exemption, and hate speech law discussion.
• [29:29] – [31:58]: Randy Fine’s intimidating phone call; “Starve Away” and the political climate post-October 7th.
• [34:13] – [37:29]: Ban on foreign, Wall Street, and Airbnb buyers from purchasing single-family homes.
• [56:32] – [58:41]: Institutional wokeness in schools and high school debaters punished for mentioning “illegal” in immigration debate.
• [73:58] – [75:47]: Expelling illegal immigrant children from public schools—bold executive action.
• [65:40] – [74:31]: Campaign logistics, primary details, and call to non-Republican voters.

Tone & Language

The episode maintains an unfiltered, confrontational, and sometimes irreverent tone, with both Carlson and Fishback openly critical of establishment politicians (left and right), donors, and institutional corruption. Colorful language and humor permeate the conversation, but the core message is populist, nationalist, and intensely focused on the cultural and economic interests of native-born Floridians.

For Further Insight

• Primary Election Date: August 18, 2026 (Florida, closed primary)
• Fishback’s Executive Orders if Elected:
  1. $1M tuition for foreign students
  2. Divestment from all foreign bonds, esp. Israel
  3. Ban on foreign/PE/Airbnb ownership of single-family homes
  4. Expulsion of illegal immigrant children from public schools

For listeners: Those wanting a full-throated America First, anti-globalist, and pro–homeownership policy vision—and a willingness to challenge both local and international sacred cows—will find Fishback’s campaign intriguing and controversial in equal measure.