Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson went on a several-minute rant after an Australian reporter questioned him about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The reporter asked Carlson whether Putin felt “any shame or regret” about agreeing to be interviewed by the Daily Caller co-founder, implying that Carlson is a supporter of the Russian president.

“I thought you were describing Putin as a psychopathic liar, and now you're taking him at his word,” Carlson retorted. “So let me briefly explain your idiotic monologue… Ukraine was totally destroyed, Zelensky passed a law allowing foreign companies to own land in Ukraine. So what do you think will happen to Ukraine 30 years from now when it's owned by Blackrock and multinational corporations and the people are no longer Ukrainian? The tragedy that happened in Ukraine was orchestrated by the West, including your government, and promoted by my government. I'm ashamed of it, and I hope you are too. This is one of the greatest crimes of my life.”

“So the idea that if you're against that then you're supporting Putin is, of course, absurd,” he continued.

Tucker goes on a 10-minute rant after reporter cries while answering Putin's question pic.twitter.com/ZGgc6eXdf1

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 26, 2024

Carlson called on Americans to be more concerned and critical of their own leaders, rather than Putin, and accused the United States and other democracies of tolerating human rights abuses and the rule of law. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson releases long-awaited interview with Vladimir Putin)

“I'm not saying we're morally equal to Putin. I'm not saying that,” Carlson continued. “What I'm saying is, first of all, our concern should be how our country is run. And we forgive our own leaders over and over again because they point to other despicable human beings on the world stage and say, 'He's bad.' Kim Jong Un is bad, yes, of course he is bad. That's why I don't live in North Korea. That's why I don't live in Russia. I have no interest in living in Russia. But the point is, you're bad too.”

Carlson said he was outraged by the way modern Western media aligned itself with governments, despite its aim to counter political power.

“This is a complete reversal of what you're supposed to do. Your job as a journalist is to challenge power on behalf of the powerless, not to team up with the powerful against the powerless. And that's exactly what you've done. I was watching your ABC for about 20 minutes this morning in my hotel room and as I was rummaging through my vomit bags I found one of the most grotesque things ever. I couldn't believe it was real.”

Carlson described how Australian television stations aired news about the release of Julian Assange's family after he was found dead at his home from an apparent opioid overdose, and the need for prescriptions to buy nicotine products. Carlson said the Australian government knew nothing about nicotine, calling it a “life-enhancing chemical.”

While the government is trying to ban non-prescription nicotine, Carlson noted that the media frequently ignores the dangers of deadly drugs and vaccines.

“But let's be honest, everybody knows what it is. Everybody knows how corrupt you are. There's a reason they despise you, I'm just saying,” he concluded.

Check out the full exchange here:

Introducing the Australian media. pic.twitter.com/IyiEqihPkb

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 26, 2024