Axios’ Mike Allen and Sara Fischer wrote that Carlson’s lawyers sent Fox a “aggressive letter” that “positions Carlson to argue that the noncompete provision in his contract is no longer valid — freeing him to launch his own competing show or media enterprise.”
There are rumours that Carson sent the letter before posting a clip to Twitter on Tuesday in which he announced he will deliver “a new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years to Twitter.”
During his scandal-plagued tenure at Fox News, Carlson made this accusation to the public. The news you hear and read is, at its core, a fabrication. A falsehood of the subtlest, sneakiest, and most pervasive variety. Carlson said, “Facts have been withheld on purpose, along with proportion and perspective,” before praising Elon Musk’s Twitter as one of the last remaining “free speech” outlets.
Axios broke down the significance of Carlson’s demands and attack, writing, “The Twitter move would seem to technically violate Carlson’s contract with Fox, but his lawyers’ letter effectively holds that Fox breached the contract first.”
The letter also accuses Fox and its executives of violating pledges to Carlson, including “Rupert Murdoch himself,” who allegedly misled Carlson “intentionally and with reckless disregard for the truth.”
According to Axios, “the letter alleges Fox breached an agreement with Carlson not to leak his private communications to the media and not to use Carlson’s private messages to take any adverse employment action against him.” According to the letter, Fox also reneged on its agreement not to settle the defamation action with Dominion Voting Systems “in a way which would indicate wrongdoing” on Carlson’s part.
Dylan Byers of Puck tweeted, “Tucker Carlson will relaunch his show *on Twitter* with help from former Fox News staff.” In order to get out of his non-compete clause, he is willing to give up at least $25 million that is owed to him by Fox Corp. Notably, Justin Wells, Carlson’s longstanding senior executive producer, was also let go by Fox News when Carlson was, but Wells is expected to be involved in Carlson’s new show.
Fox has reportedly been trying to “sideline” Carlson ahead of the January 2025 expiration of his contract by offering the flamethrowing presenter $20 million a year not to work, as reported by Mike Allen on Sunday. Reports also suggest that Carlson was offered more money to leave Fox News by the conservative outlets Newsmax and Rumble than he has left on his Fox News contract.
