Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has criticized the recent ouster of Tucker Carlson from Fox News, implying that this decision reflects a lack of support for free speech and differing viewpoints. Lavrov made these remarks while addressing a press conference at the United Nations.
Lavrov called Carlson's exit from Fox "curious news" and even asked, "What is this related to? One can only guess." The foreign minister also claimed that the European Union was increasingly becoming a militarized entity designed to contain Russia along with NATO.
A new report from the Wall Street Journal revealed that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson infuriated network executives before his ousting on Monday. This included calling one senior executive an offensive word and feuding with its PR department before he was ousted.
Fox did not provide an explanation when it announced Carlson's abrupt departure on Monday. It is known that Carlson was unhappy with the company's treatment of him and had complained to Fox executives about press coverage. The decision to part ways came less than a week after Fox settled a legal battle with Dominion Voting Systems.
When contacted by Insider for comment, no response was immediately received from Fox News.
Former President Donald Trump publicly reacted for the first time to the news of Tucker Carlson's departure from Fox News on Monday. He discussed both conservative commentator Dan Bongino’s failure to reach a deal with Murdoch-owned broadcaster over their weekly show “Unfiltered” as well as Don Lemon’s surprise departure..
Trump went so far as saying that Rupert Murdoch wanted him gone due in large part because his religious views paralleled those of Ann Lesley Smith, who once dated Murdoch himself—a claim which other reports have supported.
Despite being ousted earlier this week, former host Tucker Carlson hasn’t shied away making more public statements; most recently responding directly after learning top Biden administration officials in Pentagon were celebrating his departure from Fox News. He suggested that Lachlan Murdoch made the decision to let him go due to open disdain towards some of executives at company like himself.
Fox News Tonight will air live at 8 PM/ET starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating FOX News personalities until a new host is named.
Fox News correspondent Geraldo Rivera has called Tucker Carlson's "perverse" conspiracies about the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection "bullshit" following his ouster from the network. In past interviews, Rivera voiced concerns over attempts to portray these tragic events as false flag orchestrated by federal government itself—baseless claims which Carlson continued supporting even after being fired for them.
Former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg revealed that Carlson wanted to pin blame on feds rather than taking responsibility when he told Trump supporters election had been stolen—an accusation which undoubtedly contributed heavily towards their violent actions during riots last year in Washington D.C..