Body Language Expert Tells Us Why Tucker Carlson's Putin Interview Fell Flat With Viewers

Tucker Carlson's highly-anticipated interview with President Vladimir Putin didn't live up to the hype, and a body language expert can explain why.

Speculation that Carlson was interviewing Putin sparked when he was spotted in Russia on February 4, 2024, per Vanity Fair. Days later, the conservative public figure took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to confirm all the rumors were true. Talking about the Russia-Ukraine war, Carlson stated, "Not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview the president of the other country in this conflict: Vladimir Putin ... That's wrong. Americans have a right to know all they can about a war they're implicated in." Many of those eager to watch the interview expected Carlson to hound Putin on the war and unravel new details, but that's not what happened.

From the beginning, it was clear that Putin was leading the interview. According to NBC News, the Russian president began the interview "with a roughly 20-minute, mostly uninterrupted, speech about history that included the days of Catherine the Great, the empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796." Although Carlson did try to take control by inferring that history wasn't "relevant" to the conversation, Putin continued to take charge. Hardly any new details were revealed, and to many, it seemed pointless. 

But how did this once highly-anticipated interview fall so flat? Well, Jess Ponce III, body language expert, communication coach, and author of "A.W.E.S.O.M.E.: Seven Keys to Unlocking the Speaker Within" has revealed to Nicki Swift why the interview didn't live up to expectations.

Tucker Carlson's interview with Vladimir Putin showed that the Russian president doesn't plan on stopping the war with Ukraine. He also explained he's willing to speak with the U.S. about a potential prison exchange for reporter Evan Gershkovich, per Politico. But for the most part, viewers already knew all of this. Much of the interview held few new details, and body language expert Jess Ponce III can explain why.

Although translation played a big part in the difficulty of the interview, Ponce believes Carlson could have used his body language to facilitate the conversation a bit better. He explained exclusively to Nicki Swift, "In this specific interview, Tucker appeared less animated than usual. Notably, there was no single shot capturing him squarely facing the camera while maintaining complete control of the elements." Ponce also noted that in Carlson's other interviews, he has a "high energy level" that was missing in this conversation. The expert explained, "Typically, [Carlson] engages in active listening to respond swiftly, but in this instance, it seemed as though Putin held complete control."

Carlson wasn't in his element, but Putin definitely was. "Putin, a seasoned politician, demonstrated mastery over every aspect of his communication," Ponce said. "This encompassed not only the content and messaging but also the nuances of delivery, including camera angles, posture, and overall body language." Putin's body language made it hard to question him, which is what everyone hoped Carlson would do, so it's no wonder the interview was anything but eye-opening.