Fox News has suddenly cut ties with their top-rated host, Tucker Carlson, less than a week after a $787 million settlement in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit. The decision was reportedly made so quickly that even Fox News anchors seemed caught off guard. Carlson's last show was on Friday, and he will be replaced by a rotating cast of hosts. The move is seen as a stunning development in the world of politics and media, and many are speculating about the reasons behind it.
Carlson's ouster is linked to his close relationship with Donald Trump, whom he often promoted on his show despite reportedly despising him in private. The Dominion lawsuit exposed the inner workings of Fox News, revealing that many of its hosts, including Carlson, secretly hated Trump but continued to support him publicly to appease his base.
The episode ends with a commentary on the Republican primaries, where Trump is leading in the polls, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is struggling to keep up. The host mocks DeSantis' nervous behavior and notes that the Republican Party's attempt to harness Trumpism for profit or political gain often ends in failure.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Fox News announced that they were cutting ties with their top-rated host, Tucker Carlson.
2. The decision was made abruptly, with Carlson's last show airing on Friday, April 21st.
3. The announcement was made less than a week after Fox agreed to pay $787 million in a defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems.
4. Dominion Voting Systems had sued Fox News for pushing Trump's deranged election lies.
5. Rupert Murdoch would have been forced to testify in the case if it had gone to trial.
6. A court filing in the case revealed that Tucker Carlson had made negative comments about Trump in private.
7. Tucker Carlson's ouster comes as Trump is ascendant in the polls over his likely main rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
8. According to a new "Wall Street Journal" poll, Trump pulled in 48% of the support among likely Republican primary voters, with DeSantis 24 points behind.