Tucker Carlson Announces Next Move After FOX Firing

By Jason Hall

May 11, 2023

Photo: Getty Images

Former FOX News Tonight host Tucker Carlson plans to "soon" relaunch his show on Twitter following his recent firing.

“Starting soon, we'll be bringing a new version of the show we've been doing for the last six and a half years to Twitter,” Carlson said in a video posted on the social media platform. “We bring some other things too, which we'll tell you about. But for now, we're just grateful to be here.”

Carlson recently featured Twitter owner Elon Musk in a two-part interview for FOX News prior to his termination. Musk has claimed to be a "free speech absolutist" and intention to make the social media website a digital town hall to share diverse views.

We’re back. pic.twitter.com/sG5t9gr60O
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) May 9, 2023

"We have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever," Musk tweeted in response to Carlson's announcement "Tucker is subject to the same rules & rewards of all content creators."

On this platform, unlike the one-way street of broadcast, people are able to interact, critique and refute whatever is said.

And, of course, anything misleading will get @CommunityNotes.

I also want to be clear that we have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever. Tucker is… https://t.co/0TMjuYnKUp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023

FOX News Media announced it and Carlson had "agreed to part ways," in a news release obtained by Mediaite.com on April 24.

"We thank him for his service to the network as host and prior to that as a contributor."

Carlson's tenure as host of FOX News Tonight concluded April 21 live broadcast and the company said it plans to have "an interim show helmed by rotating FOX News personalities until a new host is named," according to the news release.

The announcement came days after FOX News Media reached a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over its personalities amplifying Trump's false voter fraud claims during the 2020 election. Text messages released through the Dominion lawsuit revealed that Carlson, who had publicly supported Trump on FOX News Tonight throughout his presidency and during his voter fraud claims, texted an unknown recipient, "I hate him passionately," when referring to Trump on January 4, 2021, two days before the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Several leaked behind-the-scenes videos of Carlson have also been publicly following his termination. Carlson was cable news' highest-rated prime time host, with FOX News Tonight averaging 3 million viewers per night. The conservative political commentator joined FOX News in 2009, having previously contributed to CNN (2000-05), PBS (2004-05) and MSNBC (2005-08).