Career Timeline of Tucker Carlson: Major Achievements and Milestones

1995: Joins The Weekly Standard

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

1999: Interviews George W. Bush

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

2000: Becomes CNN Commentator

In 2000, Tucker Carlson became a commentator for CNN.

2000: Co-hosts The Spin Room

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

2000: Bush presidential campaign

In 2000, the piece Carlson wrote led to bad publicity for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.

2001: Co-hosts Crossfire

From 2001 to 2005, Tucker Carlson co-hosted Crossfire, CNN's prime-time news debate program.

2001: Appointed Co-host of Crossfire

In 2001, Tucker Carlson was appointed co-host of Crossfire on CNN.

September 2003: Published Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites

In September 2003, Tucker Carlson's memoir Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News was published by Warner Books. The book received favorable reviews.

November 2003: Hired by PBS

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

2003: Interview with Britney Spears

In 2003, Tucker Carlson interviewed Britney Spears, whose remarks about trusting the president were featured in the 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11.

2003: Esquire Profile Nomination

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

June 18, 2004: Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered Launches

On June 18, 2004, Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered launched on PBS.

October 2004: Jon Stewart on Crossfire

In October 2004, Jon Stewart appeared on Crossfire and criticized the show for harming political discourse in the U.S., singling out Tucker Carlson for criticism.

2004: Resigned from Crossfire

In April 2004, Tucker Carlson stated he resigned from Crossfire because he didn't like the partisanship.

January 5, 2005: CNN Ends Carlson's Contract

On January 5, 2005, CNN chief Jonathan Klein told Tucker Carlson the network had decided not to renew his contract. CNN announced it was ending its relationship with Carlson and would soon cancel Crossfire.

June 12, 2005: Leaves Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered

On June 12, 2005, Tucker Carlson announced he was leaving Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered, roughly a year after it started, to focus on his new MSNBC show.

June 13, 2005: Tucker Premieres on MSNBC

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

2005: Hosts Tucker on MSNBC

From 2005 to 2008, Tucker Carlson hosted the nightly program Tucker on MSNBC.

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

On September 13, 2006, Tucker Carlson was the first contestant eliminated on season 3 of Dancing with the Stars, where he was paired with professional dancer Elena Grinenko.

2006: Hosts Winter Olympics Wrap-Up

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

2006: Coverage of the 2006 Lebanon War

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

2007: Reports on Shootings

In 2007, Tucker Carlson reported the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shooting and 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 Airs

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

2008: Leaves Tucker on MSNBC

In 2008, Tucker Carlson ended his role as host of Tucker on MSNBC.

2008: Cameo appearance in Swing Vote

In 2008, Tucker Carlson had a cameo appearance as himself in the film Swing Vote.

May 2009: Hired as Fox News Contributor

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

2009: Joins Fox News

In 2009, Tucker Carlson became a political analyst for Fox News, appearing on various programs before launching his own show.

January 11, 2010: The Daily Caller Launched

On January 11, 2010, Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel launched The Daily Caller, a political news website, with Carlson serving 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.

June 2010: The Daily Caller publishes JournoList excerpts

In June 2010, The Daily Caller published excerpts from e-mails sent between members of JournoList, leading to controversies and resignations.

September 2010: Hosts 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-founds The Daily Caller

In 2010, Tucker Carlson co-founded The Daily Caller, a right-wing news and opinion website, and served as its initial editor-in-chief.

February 2012: The Daily Caller publishes exposé on Media Matters

In February 2012, The Daily Caller published an "investigative series" co-authored by Tucker Carlson, purporting to be an insiders' exposé of Media Matters for America.

October 2012: Carlson Publicizes Obama Video

In October 2012, Tucker Carlson publicized a 2007 video recording of then-Senator Barack Obama criticizing the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina.

April 2013: Joins Fox & Friends Weekend

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

November 14, 2016: Tucker Carlson Tonight Premiere

On November 14, 2016, Tucker Carlson began hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News, which became the network's most-watched telecast of the year in its time slot.

2016: Tucker Carlson Tonight Launched

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 9:00 PM

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

January 2017: High Ratings for Tucker Carlson Tonight

In January 2017, Forbes reported that Tucker Carlson Tonight had consistently high ratings, averaging 2.8 million viewers per night.

March 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight is Most Watched 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 Airs at 8:00 PM

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: Signed two-book deal with Simon & Schuster

In May 2017, Tucker Carlson signed an eight-figure, two-book deal with Simon & Schuster's Threshold Editions, represented by Javelin. This deal marked a significant achievement in his writing career.

2017: NY Times on Stewart's Impact

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

March 2018: Tucker Carlson Tonight is third-highest rated

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

October 2018: 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.

October 2018: Ship of Fools released

In October 2018, Tucker Carlson released Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution. It debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.

2018: Carlson's book "Ship of Fools" released

In 2018, Tucker Carlson released his book "Ship of Fools", with the title inspired by the Grateful Dead song of the same name.

January 2019: Show Viewership Drops

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

June 2019: Influence on Trump Regarding Military Strikes Against Iran

In June 2019, Tucker Carlson reportedly played an influential role in dissuading Trump from launching military strikes against Iran after the shooting down of an American drone.

August 2019: Media Buy Contracts Fulfilled

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 John Bolton's Firing

On September 10, 2019, John Bolton was fired from his position. Prior to this Tucker Carlson lobbied Donald Trump to fire his national security advisor, John Bolton. Carlson criticized Bolton for seeking a military strike against Iran.

2019: Criticism of Hedge Funds and Private Equity

In 2019, Tucker Carlson criticized hedge funds, specifically calling out Republican donor Paul Singer, and also private equity firms, using Mitt Romney's Bain Capital as an example. He described the business model as exploitative and praised Elizabeth Warren's economic plan and her book "The Two Income Trap."

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: Highest Viewership

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: Highest-Rated Cable News Show

Beginning 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.

2020: Leaves The Daily Caller

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

2020: Response to Head Writer's Firing

In 2020, after his head writer, was fired for hateful blog posts, Tucker Carlson said of the posts, "They have no connection to the show. It is wrong to attack people for qualities they cannot control."

February 2021: 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 on Fox Nation.

August 2021: The Long Slide released

In August 2021, Tucker Carlson released his second book, The Long Slide: Thirty Years in American Journalism, continuing his career as an author.

August 2021: Trip to Hungary and Praise for Viktor Orbán

In August 2021, Tucker Carlson traveled to Hungary, broadcasting from Budapest. He praised the country and its prime minister, Viktor Orbán, for their policies on asylum seekers, and dismissed claims that Orbán was authoritarian.

2021: Maintained Cable Lead

In 2021, Tucker Carlson Tonight remained the most-watched news-related cable show.

January 2022: Release of 'Hungary vs. Soros' on Fox Nation

In January 2022, Tucker Carlson released the film "Hungary vs. Soros" on Fox Nation, which promoted conspiracy theories about George Soros and was described as "anti-American propaganda" by the Open Society Foundations.

April 2022: The New York Times published "American Nationalist" on Carlson

In April 2022, The New York Times released a three-part investigative series, "American Nationalist," scrutinizing Carlson's rise and rhetoric on immigration, race relations, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The report characterized Tucker Carlson Tonight as potentially "the most racist show in the history of cable news." Carlson dismissed the report and its allegations.

May 2022: Close Second in Viewership

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

April 2023: Fired from Fox News

In April 2023, Fox News dismissed Tucker Carlson and canceled his show, Tucker Carlson Tonight. This decision was made by Lachlan Murdoch. The show had been one of the most-watched cable news programs in the country.

April 24, 2023: Dismissed from Fox News

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

May 9, 2023: Announces Show Relaunch on Twitter

On May 9, 2023, Tucker Carlson announced he would relaunch his show on Twitter.

June 6, 2023: Tucker on Twitter Released

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

June 2023: Seeking funds for a new media company

In June 2023, Tucker Carlson was reportedly seeking funds to start a new media company with Neil Patel. This marks a potential shift in his career and media presence.

August 23, 2023: Hosted Donald Trump on Tucker on X

On August 23, 2023, Tucker Carlson hosted Donald Trump on Tucker on X, formerly Twitter. This interview was deliberately scheduled to coincide with the first 2024 Republican debate, drawing attention away from the debate.

September 6, 2023: Interviewed Larry Sinclair on Tucker on X

On September 6, 2023, Tucker Carlson interviewed Larry Sinclair, who made controversial claims about Barack Obama, on Tucker on X. This interview drew criticism from many, including Elon Musk.

October 2023: Guest Hosts Fill Carlson's Old Slot

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

2023: Tucker Carlson Tonight Ends

In 2023, Tucker Carlson's contract with Fox News was terminated, ending his nightly political talk show Tucker Carlson Tonight.

February 2024: Interviews 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.

February 2024: Interviewed Vladimir Putin

In February 2024, Tucker Carlson traveled to Russia to interview President Vladimir Putin. This was Putin's first one-on-one interview with a Western journalist since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, sparking backlash from other journalists.

May 2024: Launched The Tucker Carlson Show podcast

In May 2024, Tucker Carlson launched a weekly commentary podcast called The Tucker Carlson Show, marking a new phase in his media career.

July 2024: The Tucker Carlson Show became #1 on Spotify

By July 2024, The Tucker Carlson Show became the #1 most popular podcast on Spotify, signaling a resurgence in Carlson's popularity.