Tucker Carlson has been at the center of several embarrassing revelations regarding his private messages and statements while at the network. The New York Times reported on a redacted text message Carlson had sent as part of a recent defamation lawsuit. In the message, he stated that a group of Trump supporters beating a protester was not how white men fight. This is not out of character for Carlson, who has promoted the view that whites are being replaced by people of color. The timing of the message’s discovery was crucial, as members of Fox’s board found out about it before a trial was to begin last month. The newspaper suggested that this contributed to a chain of events that led to Carlson’s firing on April 24, less than a week after Fox agreed to pay Dominion nearly $800 million to settle the case.
In addition to this, anti-Fox watchdog Media Matters for America has released three “hot mic” moments of Carlson speaking offscreen while on Fox sets, material that was never included in broadcasts. The first of these moments saw Carlson speaking disparagingly about Fox’s streaming service, Fox Nation, while the second involved him sharing offscreen sexual banter with Piers Morgan before an interview. He also made comments about waiting for his “post-menopausal fans” to make remarks about his appearance. It is unclear how Media Matters for America acquired this material.
Despite some of Carlson’s texts being publicly released as part of the lawsuit, the one quoted by the Times remains redacted by the court, as do numerous other exhibits. Media organizations, including The Associated Press, are still attempting to lift the redactions. Carlson’s controversial views have long been a subject of debate, with his recent dismissal from Fox News bringing renewed attention to his actions and statements.
Donald Trump took to Twitter and said the following:
Have heard from a few of my friends at Fox News that the leftist executives running things there are pissed at me for calling them out over firing Tucker and to “expect retaliation.” A lot of good people still work at Fox, but their RINO leadership is at war with conservatives!
Fox News leaking to the left-wing New York Times to smear Tucker Carlson isn’t just an attack on Tucker, it’s an attack on all of his fans and conservatives everywhere!
Fox News leaking to the left-wing New York Times to smear Tucker Carlson isn't just an attack on Tucker, it's an attack on all of his fans and conservatives everywhere!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 3, 2023
Have heard from a few of my friends at Fox News that the leftist executives running things there are pissed at me for calling them out over firing Tucker and to “expect retaliation."
A lot of good people still work at Fox, but their RINO leadership is at war with conservatives!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 3, 2023
