Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson is partnering with allies to unleash attacks on Fox News after he was let out of his contract which expires January 2025, Axios reported Sunday.
Fox News reportedly wants to pay Carlson $20 million a year not to work in accordance with their contract after parting ways with him April 24, according to Axios. A source told the outlet Carlson “knows where a lot of bodies are buried, and is ready to start drawing a map.”
Carlson has reportedly told those close to him to settle the conflict with Fox News “quiet and clean,” Axios reported.
“Now, we’re going from peacetime to Defcon 1,” a source reportedly said. “His team is preparing for war. He wants his freedom.”
Carlson is reportedly in the works of planning his next steps if he can successfully exit the contract with his former employer. The Daily Caller co-founder has reportedly been offered positions by Newsmax and Rumble, which both offered to pay him more than Fox News, the outlet reported. He reportedly may also consider establishing his own direct-to-consumer media outlet.
⚡ NEW: @Axios has learned @TuckerCarlson and @elonmusk have discussed working together but didn’t talk specifics
• Carlson is plotting his own media empire. But he needs Fox to let him out of his contract
• He’s gotten offers that’d pay more than Fox https://t.co/1SsKQEguV2
— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) May 7, 2023
He has also reportedly been in communication with tech mogul Elon Musk about possibly working together. (RELATED: Joe Rogan Offers Tucker Carlson Some Career Advice)
Fox News’ ratings in the 8 p.m. time slot have plummeted since ousting its top-rated prime time host from the network, particularly in the key 25-54 demographic. On the first night without Carlson, the new program had a rating of 0.24 in the 25-54 age demographic. Carlson’s show previously saw a 0.37 rating in the same demographic April 17, Show Buzz Daily data found.
Liberal outlets such as Media Matters for America and The New York Times recently obtained Fox News’ footage of Carlson joking about a woman looking “yummy” — which he clarified was a joke — and criticizing Fox News’ streaming service, Fox Nation, accusing those in charge of allegedly failing to fix the website. Sirius XM host Megyn Kelly, a former Fox News anchor, accused Fox senior executive Irena Briganti of quietly releasing the footage to liberal outlets because they “hate” Carlson. Briganti denied these allegations in a statement to The Daily Caller.
A torrent of conservatives were furious at Fox News over the departure of Carlson, leading many to cancel their Fox Nation subscriptions. Its competitor, Newsmax, witnessed a major boost in ratings on the first day of Carlson’s absence.