Far-right media figure Milo Yiannopoulos told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he regrets “mainstreaming homosexuality in the Republican Party,” calling it the “great regret” of his life. The comments were made in a newly released interview in which Yiannopoulos, who has described himself as “ex-gay” since 2021, repeated claims that sexual orientation is not real and promoted conversion therapy.
Yiannopoulos told Carlson that “mainstreaming homosexuality in the Republican Party” is the “great regret” of his life, saying he feels responsible for what he called a “generation of gay Republicans.” He referenced Republican drag performer Lady MAGA and far-right commentator Nick Fuentes while describing the results of his past visibility as “horrors” that trouble him. Yiannopoulos added that he “hates” himself for having been openly gay within the party.
In the interview, Yiannopoulos repeated his claim that sexual orientation does not exist. He said “nobody’s gay” and described male homosexuality as a trauma response rather than an innate identity. He has supported conversion therapy since declaring himself “ex-gay” in 2021, aligning these statements with the views he has promoted in recent years. Yiannopoulos also told Carlson he has been celibate for five years, which he linked to his Catholic faith.
Yiannopoulos also used spiritual and supernatural language to describe LGBTQ+ people, calling homosexuality “demonic” and alleging that gay men have a “sinister” capacity to influence others’ emotions or behavior. He claimed that this supposed power stems from feelings of personal powerlessness. These statements are not supported by evidence and stand in direct contrast to medical and psychological research.
Major health bodies, including the NHS and other global professional associations, have repeatedly affirmed that sexual orientation cannot be changed. These organizations have also found that conversion therapy practices, which aim to alter a person’s sexuality or gender identity, cause documented emotional, psychological, and physical harm.
Yiannopoulos’ latest comments add to a long record of public controversy. He first gained wide attention during the 2014 Gamergate harassment campaign and later worked as a writer and editor at Breitbart News. Over his career he has directed inflammatory rhetoric at women, LGBTQ+ people, Muslims and Black Lives Matter activists. He has been banned from several major social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
His political and media involvement has included working for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and serving as chief of staff for Ye during the rapper’s unsuccessful 2024 presidential bid. Yiannopoulos has also experienced canceled speaking tours, significant financial troubles, and removal from multiple platforms and outlets.
In his interview with Carlson, Yiannopoulos continued to advance claims rejected by scientific consensus, further distancing himself from the LGBTQ+ community and reinforcing his advocacy for discredited practices. It was a reminder that, even after years of turmoil and reinvention, Yiannopoulos continues to circle the same orbit he created for himself, sustaining the same anti-LGBTQ+ narratives and debunked theories that have defined his public persona from the beginning.