Tucker Carlson is still receiving $20M annual salary from Fox News amid their standoff after his exit
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Tucker Carlson, the fired Fox News star, is still receiving monthly payments from his previous employer, reports have uncovered. Carlson's contract expires in January 2025, and Fox wants to keep paying him, which would prohibit him from establishing a rival show, but the anchor is slated to launch a news-style Twitter program within the month.
If Fox tries to stop Carlson from continuing, the host is prepared to sue or "watch the network implode attempting to challenge free speech," according to a person familiar with the matter.Tucker's attorneys recently submitted a letter to Fox News accusing the network of fraud and breach of contract following his departure on April 24.
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It stated Carlson's contract's non-compete clause is now null and unenforceable, allowing him to produce his own show. According to a Variety article, Carlson talked with one of Fox Corp's eight board members over the phone last month, who told him that his removal was a condition of Fox News' settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, a claim that Dominion refuted, as reported by RadarOnline.
Tucker believes his departure "was intended to hurt Fox"
Tucker believes his departure "was intended to hurt Fox" and that he is "just collateral damage," according to one insider, as reported by RadarOnline. "Dominion wanted to punish Fox, and it's working." According to insiders, Tucker was taken aback by his unexpected removal after his high ratings and extended tenure at the network. "Tucker was a poster boy for all of FOX's problems and had to go," one insider explained. Meanwhile, Dominion denied any involvement in his departure, as per reports.
'Dominion made no demands about Tucker Carlson's employment'
"Dominion made no demands about Tucker Carlson's employment orally or in writing," the voting system firm's spokeswoman stated. "Any claims otherwise are categorically false and a thinly veiled effort to further damage Dominion." Aside from his impending Twitter show, reports has learned that Carlson is in discussions with Megyn Kelly to come as a guest on her SiriusXM show, as reported by RadarOnline.
Tucker Carlson and the American right
Tucker Carlson, whose full name is Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson, is a well-known American conservative commentator and host of a cable television talk show. He was born in San Francisco, California, in 1969. He is known for his success in bringing extreme right-wing ideas and terminology into the mainstream of American politics. Carlson is a vocal opponent of leftism, 'woke' politics and critic of immigration. Carlson has promoted conspiracy theories on topics such as COVID-19 and the January 6 Capitol attack. He has been also known to make false or misleading statements on air.
He hosted the nightly political talk show 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' on Fox News from 2016 to 2023. On the morning of Monday, April 24, 2023, Fox News dismissed Carlson and the executive producer of his evening show. Carlson had no prior warning about his dismissal and had signed off from what would be his final show on Friday, April 21, with the words, "be back on Monday".