Career Timeline of Tucker Carlson: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Tucker Carlson built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Tucker Carlson is an American conservative political commentator and conspiracy theorist. He hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to 2023 and currently hosts Tucker on X and The Tucker Carlson Show. A supporter of Donald Trump, Carlson has been called a leading voice in right-wing media and of white grievance politics. His commentary and views have made him a highly influential figure in conservative media.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

1995: Joined The Weekly Standard

In 1995, Tucker Carlson joined The Weekly Standard news magazine as a writer.

1999: Interviewed George W. Bush

In 1999, Tucker Carlson interviewed then-Governor George W. Bush for Talk magazine, quoting Bush mocking Karla Faye Tucker, which led to bad publicity for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.

2000: CNN Commentator

In 2000, Tucker Carlson became a commentator for CNN, marking an early stage in his television career.

2000: Co-hosted The Spin Room

In 2000, Tucker Carlson co-hosted The Spin Room on CNN, a short-lived show.

2001: Co-host of Crossfire

In 2001, Tucker Carlson became a co-host of CNN's Crossfire, a prime-time news debate program.

September 2003: Publication of Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites

In September 2003, Tucker Carlson's memoir Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News was published, receiving favorable reviews.

November 2003: Hired to Helm PBS Program

In November 2003, Tucker Carlson was hired to helm a new program for PBS, Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered.

2003: Public Support for the U.S. Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Tucker Carlson publicly supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a decision he later expressed regret for.

2003: Published "Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites"

In 2003, Tucker Carlson published his book "Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites".

2003: Esquire Profile Nomination

In 2003, Tucker Carlson's Esquire profile on his journey to Liberia alongside Reverend Al Sharpton received a nomination at the National Magazine Awards.

2003: Interview with Britney Spears

In 2003, Tucker Carlson's interview with Britney Spears, where she commented on the Iraq War, was featured in the 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11.

June 18, 2004: Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered Launched

On June 18, 2004, Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered launched on PBS, concurrently with Carlson's Crossfire role on CNN.

October 2004: Jon Stewart on Crossfire

In October 2004, Jon Stewart appeared on Crossfire and criticized the show, singling out Tucker Carlson and leading to discussions about its impact on political discourse.

2004: Criticism of the Iraq War and George W. Bush

In 2004, a year after the invasion of Iraq, Tucker Carlson wrote a commentary in Esquire criticizing George W. Bush and the Iraq War.

2004: Resigned from Crossfire

In April 2004, Tucker Carlson resigned from Crossfire because he disliked the partisanship.

2004: Jon Stewart confronts Carlson on Crossfire

Lyz Lenz of the Columbia Journalism Review noted that Tucker Carlson's debate style mirrors Jon Stewart's confrontation of Carlson on Crossfire in 2004.

January 5, 2005: CNN Ends Carlson's Contract

On January 5, 2005, CNN decided not to renew Tucker Carlson's contract, leading to the cancellation of Crossfire.

June 12, 2005: Left Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered

On June 12, 2005, Tucker Carlson announced he was leaving Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered after roughly a year, despite funding for another season, to focus on his new MSNBC show Tucker.

June 13, 2005: Tucker Premiered on MSNBC

On June 13, 2005, Tucker, originally titled The Situation With Tucker Carlson, premiered on MSNBC.

2005: Tucker on MSNBC Host

In 2005, Tucker Carlson began hosting Tucker on MSNBC, a nightly program that lasted until 2008.

September 13, 2006: First contestant eliminated on Dancing with the Stars

On September 13, 2006, Tucker Carlson was the first contestant eliminated from season 3 of Dancing with the Stars.

2006: Coverage of the 2006 Lebanon War

In 2006, Tucker Carlson appeared live from Israel during the 2006 Lebanon War and criticized Syria's involvement, expressing some support for the Israel Defense Forces while also criticizing their tactics.

2006: Hosted Winter Olympics Wrap-Up

In 2006, Tucker Carlson hosted a late-afternoon weekday wrap-up for MSNBC during the Winter Olympics.

2006: Stopped Wearing Bow Ties

In 2006, Tucker Carlson stopped wearing bow ties on air, a habit he had maintained from boarding school.

2007: Reported on Shootings

In 2007, Tucker Carlson reported on the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shooting and the Johnson Space Center shooting.

March 10, 2008: Tucker Canceled by MSNBC

On March 10, 2008, Tucker was canceled by MSNBC due to low ratings.

March 14, 2008: Final Episode of Tucker

On March 14, 2008, the final episode of Tucker aired on MSNBC.

2008: End of Tucker on MSNBC

In 2008, Tucker Carlson's show Tucker on MSNBC ended its run.

May 2009: Hired as Fox News contributor

In May 2009, Fox News announced that Tucker Carlson was hired as a Fox News contributor.

2009: Senior Fellow at Cato Institute

From 2009, Carlson was a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.

2009: Fox News Political Analyst

In 2009, Tucker Carlson became a political analyst for Fox News, appearing on various programs.

January 11, 2010: The Daily Caller launched

On January 11, 2010, Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel launched The Daily Caller, a political news website. Carlson served as editor-in-chief.

February 2010: The Daily Caller joins White House press pool

In February 2010, The Daily Caller became part of the White House rotating press pool.

May 25, 2010: Denied access to JournoList forum

On May 25, 2010, Ezra Klein denied Tucker Carlson's attempt to join the invitation-only liberal forum, JournoList.

June 2010: The Daily Caller publishes JournoList excerpts

In June 2010, The Daily Caller published excerpts from emails sent between members of JournoList, leading to controversy and the resignation of Dave Weigel from The Washington Post.

September 2010: Produced and hosted Fighting for Our Children's Minds special

In September 2010, Tucker Carlson produced and hosted a special entitled Fighting for Our Children's Minds on Fox News.

2010: Co-founded The Daily Caller

In 2010, Tucker Carlson co-founded The Daily Caller, a right-wing news and opinion website.

April 2013: Co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend

In April 2013, Tucker Carlson replaced Dave Briggs as a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend.

2015: End of Cato Institute Fellowship

Through 2015, Carlson was a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.

November 14, 2016: Tucker Carlson Tonight premiere

On November 14, 2016, Tucker Carlson began hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News. The premiere episode was highly watched.

2016: Tucker Carlson Tonight Premiered

In 2016, Tucker Carlson began hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News, a nightly political talk show.

January 9, 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight moves to 9 PM slot

On January 9, 2017, Tucker Carlson's show replaced Megyn Kelly at the 9:00 p.m. time slot on Fox News.

January 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight gets consistently high ratings

In January 2017, Tucker Carlson Tonight scored consistently high ratings, averaging 2.8 million viewers per night.

February 23, 2017: The Atlantic describes Carlson's televised partisan combat skills

On February 23, 2017, The Atlantic wrote that "Carlson's true talent is not for political philosophizing, it's for televised partisan combat.

March 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight becomes top cable program

In March 2017, Tucker Carlson Tonight was the most watched cable program in the 9:00 p.m. time slot.

April 19, 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight moves to 8 PM slot

On April 19, 2017, Fox News announced that Tucker Carlson Tonight would air at 8:00 p.m. following the cancellation of The O'Reilly Factor.

May 2017: Book Deal with Simon & Schuster

In May 2017, Carlson signed an eight-figure, two-book deal with Simon & Schuster's Threshold Editions.

September 19, 2017: GQ profile describes Carlson's on-air tactics

On September 19, 2017, journalist Stephen Rodrick wrote in a GQ profile of Carlson that he mocks and verbally body-slams those who disagree with him, sharing a reluctance to apologize for mistakes with Donald Trump.

2017: Stewart's Criticism Recalled

In 2017, The New York Times referred to Jon Stewart's October 2004 "on-air dressing-down" of Carlson as an "ignominious career [moment]" for Carlson, leading to the show's cancellation.

March 2018: Tucker Carlson Tonight Third-Highest-Rated Cable News Show

As of March 2018, Tucker Carlson Tonight was the third-highest-rated cable news show.

October 2018: Release of Ship of Fools

In October 2018, Carlson's book, Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution, was released and became a New York Times Best Seller.

October 2018: Tucker Carlson Tonight Second-Highest Rated Cable News Show

In October 2018, Tucker Carlson Tonight was the second-highest rated cable news show in prime time, with 3.2 million nightly viewers.

2018: Darren Beattie Fired as Trump Speechwriter

In 2018, Darren Beattie, who later appeared on Carlson's show, was fired as a Trump speechwriter after CNN inquired about his attendance at a white nationalist gathering.

2018: Published "Ship of Fools"

In 2018, Tucker Carlson published his book "Ship of Fools".

January 2019: Carlson's show viewership drops

By January 2019, Tucker Carlson's show dropped to third with 2.8 million nightly viewers, down six percent from the previous year, and the show also lost at least 26 advertisers.

June 2019: Influence in Dissuading Trump from Military Strikes Against Iran

In June 2019, Tucker Carlson reportedly played an influential role in dissuading Donald Trump from launching military strikes against Iran.

August 2019: Advertisers return to other time slots on Fox News

By August 2019, Media Matters calculated that some companies had fulfilled their media buy contracts and advertising inventory for the time slot and had now begun their purchases for other time slots on Fox News.

September 10, 2019: Lobbying for the Firing of John Bolton

On September 10, 2019, Donald Trump fired John Bolton after Tucker Carlson lobbied Donald Trump to fire his national security advisor.

2019: Criticism of Hedge Funds and Praise for Elizabeth Warren's Economic Plan

In 2019, Tucker Carlson criticized hedge funds, singling out Republican donor Paul Singer, and private equity firms. He praised Elizabeth Warren's economic plan and called her book "one of the best books I've ever read on economics."

June 2020: Carlson Sells Stake in The Daily Caller

In June 2020, Tucker Carlson sold his one-third stake in The Daily Caller to Neil Patel.

October 2020: Tucker Carlson Tonight viewership peaks

By October 2020, Tucker Carlson Tonight averaged 5.3 million viewers, becoming the highest of any cable news program in history at that point.

2020: Left The Daily Caller

In 2020, Tucker Carlson sold his ownership stake and left The Daily Caller.

2020: Tucker Carlson Tonight Becomes Highest-Rated Cable News Show

Starting the week of June 8-14, 2020, Tucker Carlson Tonight became the highest-rated cable news show in the U.S., with an average of four million viewers, amidst controversy and advertising boycotts.

February 2021: New multiyear deal with Fox News

In February 2021, Tucker Carlson announced a multiyear deal with Fox News to host a new weekly podcast and series of monthly specials dubbed Tucker Carlson Originals on Fox Nation.

June 21, 2021: Reported as a Media Source

On June 21, 2021, a report indicated that Tucker Carlson was a media source for several journalists and authors who wrote critically of Donald Trump.

August 2021: Release of The Long Slide

In August 2021, Carlson's second book, The Long Slide: Thirty Years in American Journalism, was released.

August 2021: Travel to Hungary and Praise for Viktor Orbán

In August 2021, Tucker Carlson traveled to Hungary, broadcasting from Budapest, praising the country and Viktor Orbán's policies.

2021: Carlson recognized for influencing American politics

According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, Tucker Carlson was "recognized for his success in helping to bring far-right viewpoints and vocabulary into the mainstream of American politics" In 2021, Time said that Carlson could be the most powerful conservative in America and Mediaite named him the most influential person in news media.

2021: Published "The Long Slide"

In 2021, Tucker Carlson published his book "The Long Slide".

April 2022: New York Times publishes "American Nationalist" series

In April 2022, The New York Times released a three-part investigative series called "American Nationalist" which documented Carlson's rise and rhetoric on controversial topics. Carlson responded by dismissing the series and denying allegations about focusing on ratings.

May 2022: Tucker Carlson Tonight second to The Five

Through May 2022 Tucker Carlson Tonight was a close second to The Five, while leading in the 25-54 demographic.

October 2022: Tulsi Gabbard's Appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight

In October 2022, Tulsi Gabbard appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight the night she left the Democratic Party, to Carlson's praise.

April 2023: Fired by Fox News

In April 2023, Fox News dismissed Tucker Carlson and canceled his show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, without any explanation after Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit.

April 24, 2023: Fox News dismisses Tucker Carlson

On the morning of April 24, 2023, Fox News dismissed Tucker Carlson and the executive producer of his evening show.

May 9, 2023: Carlson announces relaunch of show on Twitter

On May 9, 2023, Tucker Carlson said he would relaunch his show on Twitter, alleging breach of contract by Fox executives.

June 6, 2023: Tucker on Twitter releases first episode

On June 6, 2023, the first episode of Tucker on Twitter was released, featuring controversial claims.

June 2023: Seeking Funds for New Media Company

In June 2023, Tucker Carlson was reportedly seeking funds to start a new media company with Neil Patel.

August 23, 2023: Tucker on X Interview with Donald Trump

On August 23, 2023, Tucker Carlson hosted Donald Trump on Tucker on X, formerly known as Twitter, timed to coincide with the first 2024 Republican debate.

September 6, 2023: Interview with Larry Sinclair

On September 6, 2023, Carlson interviewed Larry Sinclair, who made controversial claims about Barack Obama; the interview was criticized by many.

October 2023: Rotation of guest hosts fill Carlson's slot

As of October 2023, a rotation of guest hosts fill Tucker Carlson's old slot until a permanent replacement is found.

2023: Tucker Carlson Tonight Canceled

In 2023, Tucker Carlson's contract with Fox News was terminated, leading to the cancellation of Tucker Carlson Tonight.

February 2024: Interviewed Vladimir Putin

In February 2024, Tucker Carlson became the first Western journalist to interview Vladimir Putin since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.