The Rise and Fall of Tucker Carlson at Fox News

Tucker Carlson’s career at Fox News was marked by significant influence, controversy, and a sudden departure. His show,”Tucker Carlson Tonight,” consistently drew a large audience,becoming a cornerstone of the network’s prime-time lineup. Though, Carlson’s association with far-right figures and the propagation of misinformation ultimately contributed to his dismissal in April 2023. This article examines the key events and controversies surrounding Carlson’s time at Fox News, the factors leading to his firing, and the aftermath.

Early Career and Rise to Prominence

Before joining Fox News, Carlson established himself as a conservative commentator through roles at CNN and MSNBC. He began at CNN as a commentator in 1990, and later hosted “Crossfire” on CNN from 1996 to 2005.He than moved to MSNBC, hosting “Tucker” from 2005 to 2008. In 2009, he joined fox News as a contributor, eventually launching “Tucker Carlson Tonight” in 2016.The show quickly gained popularity, becoming the highest-rated cable news program in its time slot.

Controversies and Extremist Connections

Carlson’s tenure at Fox News was frequently shadowed by controversy. He faced criticism for his rhetoric on issues such as immigration, race, and gender.A significant aspect of the scrutiny involved his connections to online extremist communities.

Prior to his time at Fox News,carlson was linked to a controversial online forum called AutoAdmit. An investigation by the New york Times revealed that a user on autoadmit, operating under a pseudonym, shared views aligning with Carlson’s on-air commentary and engaged in provocative, frequently enough offensive, discussions.The user, identified as Blake Neff, was a writer for The Daily Caller, a conservative website co-founded by Carlson. Neff openly discussed his role in crafting Carlson’s show segments and even incorporated AutoAdmit catchphrases into the broadcasts.Source: New York times

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Further fueling concerns, the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer frequently praised Carlson’s commentary, even claiming his show was essentially a platform for their ideology. Between November 2016 and November 2018, Carlson was mentioned in 265 articles on the site, often with highly inflammatory language. Source: The Daily Beast

The Dominion Lawsuit and internal Conflicts

The culmination of controversies surrounding carlson lead to his firing in April 2023. A major catalyst was the Dominion Voting systems lawsuit against Fox News. Dominion alleged that Fox News hosts, including Carlson, had knowingly spread false claims about the company’s voting machines following the 2020 presidential election.Source: NPR

fox News settled the lawsuit for $787.5 million.Source: Reuters During the finding phase of the lawsuit, damaging internal communications were revealed, including text messages where Carlson reportedly used vulgar language towards colleagues. These revelations, combined with concerns about potential further legal challenges, contributed to the decision to remove him from the air.

additional lawsuits, including one from Abby Grossberg, a former producer on carlson’s show who alleged a hostile work habitat, and potential legal action from Ray Epps regarding Carlson’s promotion of conspiracy theories about his role in the January 6th Capitol attack, also played a role in the network’s decision. Source: The Guardian

Aftermath and Current Status

Following his firing, Tucker Carlson launched a show on X (formerly twitter) in May 2023, Source: NBC news and continues to produce content online. His departure from Fox News led to a significant shift in the network’s programming and ratings. the network has as attempted to recalibrate its prime-time lineup,but has struggled to replicate the viewership numbers achieved during Carlson’s tenure. As of January 2026, Carlson continues to be a prominent voice in conservative media, utilizing social media to disseminate his views and engage with his audience.

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Key Takeaways

  • Tucker Carlson’s rise to prominence was fueled by his ability to connect with a conservative audience through his show,”Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
  • His career was marked by numerous controversies,including connections to extremist online communities and the spread of misinformation.
  • The Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit and the revelation of damaging internal communications were key factors in his firing from Fox News.
  • Carlson continues to be a significant figure in conservative media through his independent online show.