Former President Donald Trump responded to the stunning news that Fox News and Tucker Carlson have parted ways. He said that he was surprised because Carlson had “very high ratings,” according to The Hill.
The departure comes as Fox was being sued by Dominion Voting Systems for $1.6 billion alleging that the media giant deliberately lied about Dominion rigging the 2020 election to elect Joe Biden. The case was recently settled for $787 million, which the former president also expressed his surprise about. He claimed that the case was winnable and had previously urged Rupert Murdoch to assert his theories of fraud.
Some networks citing anonymous sources are reporting that the case was let led to the departure. In text messages revealed in the case, Carlson reportedly defended Fox News’ audience and said that legitimizing Biden’s win has resulted in the loss of credibility and trust. He also reportedly called for journalist Jacqui Heinrich to be fired after questioning the claims of voter fraud.
Trump then speculated that Carlson might have been fired or left the network because he wasn’t “being given his free rein.”
Democrats and progressives have been calling for Carlson’s termination for years, alleging that he had constantly made misogynistic and white supremacist comments. When House Speaker Kevin McCarthy submitted footage of the riot on January 6th to the show, Carlson revealed that Capitol Police were escorting the “QAnon Shaman” through the building.
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Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer had then called for Murdoch to take Carlson off the air for showing footage that he claimed was selective.
Carlson was one of the most popular cable television shows compared with CNN, MSNBC, and Newsmax. He won over the 25-54 age demographic and garnered more than three million viewers a night, according to American Pigeon.
