On May 9th, conservative commentator and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson announced that he will be launching a new version of his show on Twitter. Carlson praised the Elon Musk-owned social media platform, claiming that it is one of the few platforms that allows free speech.
“Starting soon, we’ll be bringing a new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years to Twitter,” Carlson said in a 3-minute video posted on Twitter. “We bring some other things too, which we’ll tell you about. But for now, we’re just grateful to be here. Twitter is not a partisan site, everybody's allowed here, and we think that's a good thing."
Carlson expressed his gratitude for the platform’s support of free speech, which he considers the most important right. Carlson’s statement comes in the context of growing concern among conservatives that other social media platforms, such as Facebook and YouTube, are censoring content that does not align with their liberal values.
During the announcement, Carlson criticized the mainstream media, stating that “the news you consume is a lie.” He then announced that he would be bringing a new version of his show, which has been on the air for the past six and a half years, to the Twitter platform. Carlson’s show often sets the tone for conservatives and the Republican Party, making it a significant platform for conservative voices.
On Tuesday, April 9, Elon Musk tweeted “I also want to be clear that we have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever. Tucker is subject to the same rules & rewards of all content creators.“ Musk also expressed his desire to see more left-wing content creators on the platform.
As per The Washington Post, Tucker Carlson, who was fired by Fox News, has reportedly suggested hosting a Republican debate during the primaries independent of the one Fox News holds every election. This move is seen as a direct response to his firing, and despite potentially sacrificing millions of dollars, Tucker Carlson seems keen on creating his platform for the debate. This idea could pique the interest of President Donald Trump, who has expressed dissatisfaction with mainstream networks.
Why did Tucker Carlson part ways with Fox News?
On April 24th, Fox News Media announced that it was parting ways with Tucker Carlson, who was the channel’s most-watched anchor. This came just days after Fox settled a defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million, which revealed messages sent by Carlson and other Fox personalities after the 2020 election.