Scoop: Farage pulled out of Tucker Carlson interview

Is Britain’s upstart Reform party really as committed to free speech as they would have us believe? Tucker Carlson was meant to converse with leader Nigel Farage on his trip to London last week. But, Cockburn hears, Farage pulled out after the stateside controversy about Carlson’s recent choice to chat with “groyper” leader and bête noire Nick Fuentes. Who knew the leading light of the British right would be so sensitive about “platforming?” Top Farage advisor James Orr, who also serves as an Anglo-whisperer for Vice President J.D. Vance, made excuses on Reform’s behalf.

“It’s the donors and consultants, always,” Carlson told Cockburn about the choice to pull out. “If you want to save your country, you have to ignore them.”

Tucker’s show – the 10th most listened to in the US on Spotify this year – hosted two other Englishmen instead: ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe, a Farage rival, and Milo Yiannopoulos, who raved about how homosexuality isn’t real. What could be more British than that?

A freezing and fraught World Cup draw in DC

DC’s Kennedy Center played host to the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on Friday lunchtime. According to FIFA president and Trump fanboy Gianni Infantino, 2,000 guests from 200 countries were in the amphitheater. Not including Cockburn of course, who dodged the arctic weather to watch from his Dupont Circle manse. “You’re very lucky you skipped this,” a fellow journalist texted. “Two hours waiting on line in the freezing cold snow only to be stuffed into a media filing center where we have to watch the event on a screen. Venue apparently reserved for FIFA staff. Misery.” Cockburn imagines FIFA treats journalists a bit better than previous hosts Qatar and Russia.

On the Fox broadcast, USMNT veteran Alexi Lalas was ranting about the prospect of England winning on American soil in the US’s 250th year. “You think they’re insufferable now?” Cockburn, due to his parentage, is pulling for Scotland – after Team USA, of course.

The President and First Lady observed from a box as hosts Kevin Hart and Heidi Klum kicked things off. Canadian PM Mark Carney and President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico also attended. Captain America actor Danny Ramirez roamed through the crowd of soccer stars and other celebrities. Ramirez signaled out but didn’t speak to rapper Wyclef Jean – who hails from Haiti. The island nation has qualified for its second World Cup ever – but Haitians are currently banned from entering the US due to “national security risks.”

In a highly telegraphed move, President Trump was awarded the inaugural “FIFA Peace Prize” – an invention of Infantino’s – during the ceremony. Infantino gave Trump a sculpted gold trophy, a certificate and “a beautiful medal you can wear wherever you want to go,” placing it around POTUS’s neck. The FIFA president is truly the phrase “yes sire” made flesh. Trump took the opportunity to brag about ticket sales – “The numbers are beyond anything… what Gianni thought was possible” – as well as once again branding America the “hottest country in the world” and discussing the peace deals that have been struck during his two terms. Hours before, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tweeted, “Just sunk another narco boat.”

The characteristically limp crowd were encouraged to “make some noise” by R&B icon Lauryn Hill before the draw began in earnest. Hockey icon Wayne Gretzky had the unfortunate task of butchering the country names of the fourth-seeded teams. The US got relatively lucky, finding themselves in a group with Australia, Paraguay and one of Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia or Turkey. The proceedings were fraught and awkward – not least when the Village People botched their entrance for “YMCA” at the end. Cockburn hopes for the sake of the President – who sat through the whole affair – that the tournament itself runs slicker.

On our radar

VAX AX A CDC advisory panel today dispensed with the recommendation that babies get the hepatitis B vaccine.

X FRIENDS Vice President J.D. Vance chastised the European Union for fining Elon Musk’s X $140 million for violating the Digital Services Act.

TUDUM Netflix announced an $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio, HBO and streaming assets.

My bloody Valentina

Hate has a fresh face – it’s a Latina in an orange jumpsuit. Her name is Valentina Gomez, and she’s running for Congress in Texas’s 31st district. “Vote for me so we can kick every dirty Muslim out of Texas,” she says in her latest campaign video, walking toward the camera. “Save your daughters from getting raped by a Muhammad. And protect our soldiers from getting murdered in broad daylight. Let me make very clear: we will make Texas the worst place for groomers, terrorists, Muslims, pedophiles and illegals to live in so help me God.”

This video was considered so outrageous that Piers Morgan’s producers invited Gomez to come on his show, which has become YouTube’s answer to Jerry Springer. Morgan called her a “vile bigot” and branded her remarks “jaw-dropping bigotry” and said she could never appear on his show again. He pushed back at her claim that his producers “begged” her to appear, pointing out they only sent a single email which she accepted immediately.

Gomez is new to the Lone Star State, having been defeated in the GOP primary for the Missouri Secretary of State race last year. Watchdog groups have tied Gomez to a “rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in Texas.” Ya think? Given that Gomez has released a video of herself burning a Qur’an, that feels somehow appropriate. Gomez repeatedly declares on X that “Jesus is King” and that her campaign is “powered by Jesus Christ,” but there’s something in the gospels about turning the other cheek. Cockburn may be something of a lapsed man, but if Texas elects this person, so help him God.

Subscribe to Cockburn’s Diary on Substack to get it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Fridays.