Trump Responds to Tucker Carlson’s Sudden Exit From Fox: ‘I’m Surprised’

Tucker Carlson (L) speaks during the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) Feszt in Esztergom, Hungary, on Aug. 7, 2021. (Janos Kummer/Getty Images); Former President Donald Trump (R) attends the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 287 mixed martial arts event at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., on April 8, 2023. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump said he was “surprised” in his first reaction to this week’s sudden departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News, praising the now-former popular prime-time host as a “very talented” man.

“I’m shocked. I’m surprised,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax on Monday. “He’s a very good person, a very good man, and very talented, and he had very high ratings.”

In a press release on April 24, Fox News said that it and Carlson “have agreed to part ways,” adding, “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”

Trump, who’s running for the 2024 Republican nomination, pointed out that the circumstances behind Carlson’s exit are currently unclear, saying: “So, we’re just learning about it almost as we speak.”

“I don’t know if it was voluntary, or was it somebody fired [him]?” the former commander-in-chief continued. “But I think Tucker has been terrific. He’s been, especially over the last year or so, he’s been terrific to me.”

Trump also speculated that Carlson could have voluntarily agreed to leave Fox News because he wasn’t given the freedom of expression he sought, saying: “He wants free rein maybe.”

As of Tuesday morning, Carlson has not referred to his departure from the channel. During his final Fox News show on April 21, he told viewers that he will be back on April 24, indicating that the development came as a surprise.

Fox News has not specified any reason for Carlson’s departure.

Carlson’s prime-time show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” had been among the most popular in all of cable television for years—often attracting millions of viewers per episode. In March, the program drew the highest audience on cable television, averaging 3.251 million viewers per show, according to Nielsen data.

“The Tucker situation, again, you don’t know if it is a firing, maybe he left because he wasn’t given his free rein,” Trump said.

Don Lemon’s Ouster

Also on April 24, now-former CNN host Don Lemon announced on Twitter that he was fired by CNN. Lemon made a cryptic statement that reads: “At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play.”

CNN Communications, however, disputed some of Lemon’s claims on Twitter, saying his version of the event is “inaccurate,” sparking a firestorm in the tweet’s comment section, including from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Mike Cernovich, a social media personality and political commentator, also reacted to CNN’s statement, asking: “Are you saying Don Lemon is fake news?”

Former U.S. Navy Intelligence Officer Jack Posobiec also wasn’t too happy with CNN labeling Lemon’s post as partly false, tweeting: “You employed a liar for 17 years?”

Trump also weighed in on Lemon’s removal in a statement on Truth Social, celebrating the decision, but also asking, “What took them so long?”

Lemon is a long-time CNN fixture and joined the network in September 2006. For more than eight years, he hosted the prime-time show “Don Lemon Tonight.”

In a statement, CNN said the network and Lemon “have parted ways,” adding, “Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years … we wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”

From NTD News