Current:Home > Markets15 months after his firing, Tucker Carlson returns to Fox News airwaves with a GOP convention speech -Capital Dream Guides
15 months after his firing, Tucker Carlson returns to Fox News airwaves with a GOP convention speech
View
Date:2025-04-27 21:19:44
NEW YORK (AP) — Tucker Carlson returned to Fox News’ airwaves 15 months after being unceremoniously fired, seen Thursday in its coverage of a Republican National Convention speech that highlighted his growing influence in Donald Trump’s world.
Carlson called the Republican nominee to return as president a changed man who effectively “became the leader of this nation” following last Saturday’s assassination attempt.
His 11-minute speech in Milwaukee also highlighted changes in the media personality, who had said privately following the 2020 election that he “truly can’t wait” to ignore Trump. Before being given the prime-time role on the convention’s climactic night, he’d been seen throughout the convention and reportedly lobbied Trump to select Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate.
Fox News aired Carlson’s speech in prime time, during the same hour he had once ruled as cable television news’ most popular personality. CNN and MSNBC did not carry it.
“That was Tucker Carlson,” his Fox replacement, Jesse Watters, said. “You may remember him from the 8 o’clock hour here.”
How Carlson has fared in recent months
Carlson was fired a week after Fox agreed to pay more than $787 million to settle a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems over false statements the network made about the company following the 2020 election. The network never explained why it ousted Carlson, sparking a cottage industry of theories about why the Rupert Murdoch-founded network pulled the plug.
Since then, Carlson started his own online network but hasn’t approached the influence that five nights a week on the most popular cable network afforded him.
He has released a series of online interviews with figures popular in the conservative movement, including one with Trump that was posted to counterprogram a debate between his GOP nomination opponents. His most newsworthy foray was a February interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who said later that he thought Carlson “would behave more aggressively and ask so-called sharp questions.”
Carlson has also made money through a series of speeches, and recently completed a speaking tour of Australia. He has booked a September tour of arenas in the United States, each night joined by a special guest that will include Donald Trump Jr., Roseanne Barr, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Russell Brand, Kid Rock, Vivek Ramaswamy and a trio of personalities who also left Fox under unpleasant circumstances — Megyn Kelly, Glenn Beck and Dan Bongino.
Rehearsal? Not on this night
What to know about the 2024 Election
- Read the latest: Follow AP’s live coverage of this year’s election.
- Democracy: American democracy has overcome big stress tests since 2020. More challenges lie ahead in 2024.
- AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.
- Stay informed. Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news email alerts. Sign up here.
His convention speech on Thursday was ad-libbed, according to Justin Wells, a longtime Carlson adviser who spoke to him shortly before Carlson went onstage.
Carlson extolled Trump as a leader whose bravery and courage has inspired people — particularly in the days after the assassination attempt the former president survived in western Pennsylvania last weekend. He also credited Trump for fostering unity at a moment when it would have been easy to do otherwise.
“He turned down the most obvious opportunity in politics to inflame the nation after being shot,” Carlson said. “In the moment, he did his best to bring the country together.”
He said that “people who don’t believe in God are starting to wonder — maybe there is something to this.”
Carlson kept divisive political talk to a minimum, although he called the amount of money the U.S. has spent to help defend Ukraine “a middle finger in the face of every American.”
___
David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder
veryGood! (524)
Related
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Women’s tennis tour and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will work to support prenatal care
- Trump attorneys post bond to support $83.3 million award to writer in defamation case
- Who is attending the State of the Union? Here are notable guests for Biden's 2024 address
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- NFL trade candidates 2024: Ten big-name players it makes sense to move
- Nigeria media report mass-abduction of girls by Boko Haram or other Islamic militants near northern border
- Military lifts Osprey's grounding months after latest fatal crashes
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- See Little People Big World's Zach Roloff Help His Son Grapple with Dwarfism Differences
Ranking
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- International Women’s Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy
- Kylie Jenner Reacts to Critics Who Say Relationship With Timothée Chalamet Inspired Her New Look
- Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied Break Up: Revisit Their Romance Before Divorce
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- Luis Suárez's brilliant header goal saves Lionel Messi, Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC
- The 28 Best Amazon Deals This Month: A $26 Kendall + Kylie Jacket, $6 Necklaces, $14 Retinol & More
- Stock market today: Asian shares rise after Wall Street sets another record
Recommendation
How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
Bunnie XO, Jelly Roll's wife, reflects on anniversary of leaving OnlyFans: 'I was so scared'
Stephen Colbert skewers 'thirsty' George Santos for attending Biden's State of the Union
The Best Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Products Every Woman Should Own for an Empowering Glam Look
Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
A bill that could lead to a TikTok ban is gaining momentum in Congress. Here's what to know.
Memphis judge postpones state trial in Tyre Nichols death until end of federal trial
Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson re-signs for four years