Tucker Carlson ‘preparing for war’ against Fox News in order to be released from contract early

Ex-Fox host is barred from other media work while under Fox contract

Fired Fox News host Tucker Carlson is preparing for “war” against his former network, a source with knowledge of the situation has claimed.

Axios reported the state of TuckerWorld on Sunday — with a headline indicating “Tucker Carlson ready to torch Fox News”. The former cable news star remains under contract at Fox News, preventing him from signing deals with other networks or streaming services for his content. He was fired from the right-wing news network last month after having been found to have disparaged Fox executives in private texts using sexist language, while using overtly racist rhetoric in others.

That was far from the extent of the text messages released during the months-long Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit that eventually culminated in a $787m settlement and Carlson’s ouster. In others, he admitted that he and other Fox stars were platforming allies of Donald Trump whom they knew to be lying about the 2020 election.

Now, according to Axios, Carlson is preparing for a potentially very public fight with his former network — but he’s holding his fire until the time is right.

"Now, we're going from peacetime to Defcon 1," said an ally of Mr Carlson, speaking to Axios. "His team is preparing for war. He wants his freedom."

"[Allies] are coming to him and saying: 'Do you want me to hit Fox?’” that source added. "He's been saying: 'No. I want to get this done quiet and clean.'”

How much Carlson will be successful in keeping his “war” against the company “quiet and clean” remains to be seen. The former host has given little indication of his plans, other than a short video to his folllowers promising to “see you soon”.

While at Fox, his show was routinely criticised for platforming white nationalist talking points, including the Great Replacement Theory, a racist conspiracy which argues that Democrats are trying to “replace” white people in America.

Since his firing, the network has been the target of a seemingly unending cascade of ridicule and mockery for allowing the situation stemming from the Trump campaign’s 2020 election conspiracies to get so out of hand. President Joe Biden even took the opportunity to pile on during his address to the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner, telling guests that Fox journalists were present for the opportunity of a free meal.

The network itself did not issue a comment on Axios’ reporting, instead directing reporters to the statement issued after Carlson’s firing which falsely claimed that the two sides had “agreed to part ways”.

Carlson is supposedly considering offers from Rumble and Newsmax, among other conservative outlets, which could rival his old contract with Fox News — valued as much as $20m a year — in size.