As Fox News continues to stall on releasing Tucker Carlson from his contract, which prevents him from working for other networks until January 2025, he is preparing to wage “war” against the network.
Fox News made the decision to cut ways with Carlson public last month, though it is still unclear why.
Since Carlson has not yet been released from his $20 million per year contract, which bans him from working elsewhere in the business for an additional 20 months, Carlson has not technically been dismissed.
That implies that the well-liked anchor would be totally barred from actively covering the 2024 presidential race.
“His team is preparing for war. He wants his freedom,” a close friend told Axios, adding that Carlson had previously said he wanted to “get this done quiet and clean” but his team was now “going from peacetime to Defcon 1.”
Several behind-the-scenes Carlson footage have already made their way to left-leaning media groups, despite Fox News’ denials that they are to blame.
The media outlet was informed by a second inside source that the conservative commentator “knows where a lot of bodies are buried, and is ready to start drawing a map.”
Carlson apparently received offers from Newsmax and Rumble that were higher than those he received from Fox, and he has also reportedly spoken with Twitter owner Elon Musk about launching a new venture.
Carlson’s lawyer Byran Freedman told Axios, “The idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous.”
Tucker v. Fox may change the landscape of conservative news. Fox wants to sideline Carlson by paying him $20 million a year not to work because the network’s ratings have fallen in Carlson’s time slot since he was fired 13 days ago.
Carlson is reportedly working on building his own media empire, according to Axios. However, he wants Fox to release him from his contract because it expires in January 2025, which is after the election.
According to Carlson’s close friends, he is also thinking about establishing a direct-to-consumer media platform where his many followers may pay to see him. Bill O’Reilly, Carlson’s predecessor at Fox, laid the groundwork for this.
Two days after being fired, Carlson teased his old show with the following message in a Twitter video posted at 8 p.m. ET: “See you soon.” 24 million people have watched the two-minute video.
In Carlson’s former time slot, Fox News has seen a nearly 50% decline in viewers, and the network’s other programs have also seen significant drops in viewership, particularly in the coveted 25-54 age range.
Carlson’s departure was honored by members of the US military-industrial complex, who one of them exclaimed, “Good riddance!”
