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 right-wing political activist and commentator. He hosts Tucker on X and The Tucker Carlson Show since 2023. Prior to that, he hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to 2023. A strong advocate for Donald Trump, Carlson is considered a leading proponent of Trumpism and wields considerable influence within right-wing media.
14 hours ago : Tucker Carlson Visits Israel, Meets Huckabee; Trump Advised Him on Israel Rhetoric.
Tucker Carlson visited Israel, met with Mike Huckabee, facing challenges. Reports surface of Trump advising Carlson to moderate his rhetoric regarding Israel. Carlson's visit garnered attention.
1995: Joins The Weekly Standard
In 1995, Tucker Carlson joined The Weekly Standard news magazine.
1999: Interviews George W. Bush
In 1999, Tucker Carlson interviewed then-Governor George W. Bush for Talk magazine, quoting Bush mocking Karla Faye Tucker and using the word "fuck", leading to bad publicity for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.
2000: CNN Commentator
In 2000, Tucker Carlson became a commentator for CNN.
2000: Co-hosts The Spin Room
In 2000, Tucker Carlson co-hosted The Spin Room on CNN.
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.
November 2003: Hired by PBS
In November 2003, Tucker Carlson was hired to host a new program for PBS called Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered.
2003: Public Support of the U.S. Invasion of Iraq
In 2003, Tucker Carlson publicly supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
2003: Esquire Profile Earns Award 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 Featured in Fahrenheit 9/11
Tucker Carlson's 2003 interview with Britney Spears, about the Iraq War, was featured in the 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11.
June 18, 2004: Launch of Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered on PBS
Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered launched on PBS on June 18, 2004.
October 2004: Jon Stewart's Critique of Crossfire
In October 2004, Jon Stewart appeared on Crossfire and launched into a critique of the show, saying it was harmful to political discourse in the U.S.
2004: Stewart Confronts Carlson on Crossfire
In 2004, Jon Stewart confronted Tucker Carlson on Crossfire. Lyz Lenz of the Columbia Journalism Review wrote that this debate maneuver mirrors Jon Stewart's confrontation of Carlson on Crossfire in 2004.
2004: Accusation of Bush's Weakness in Esquire Commentary
In 2004, Tucker Carlson wrote a commentary in Esquire accusing President Bush of weakness after the September 11 attacks and in the invasion of Iraq, stating that Iraq was not worth invading.
2004: Resigned from Crossfire
Tucker Carlson stated he resigned from Crossfire in April 2004, many months before Jon Stewart came on the show, because he didn't like the partisanship.
January 5, 2005: CNN Ends Contract
On January 5, 2005, CNN chief Jonathan Klein told Tucker Carlson the network had decided not to renew his contract, and 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 on PBS 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.
2006: Hosts Winter Olympics Wrap-Up
In 2006, Tucker Carlson hosted a late-afternoon weekday wrap-up for MSNBC during the Winter Olympics.
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 Aired
On March 14, 2008, the final episode of Tucker aired on MSNBC.
2008: Ends Tucker on MSNBC
In 2008, Tucker Carlson ended his nightly program Tucker on MSNBC.
2008: Potential Libertarian Candidacy
In 2008, Tucker Carlson was reportedly floated as a potential candidate for the Libertarian nomination in the presidential election. He was included in polling at the 2008 Libertarian National Convention. Carlson spoke at Ron Paul's independent Rally for the Republic convention.
2009: Senior Fellow at Cato Institute
From 2009 through 2015, Tucker Carlson was a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.
2009: Joins Fox News as a Political Analyst
In 2009, Tucker Carlson became a political analyst for Fox News, appearing on various programs before launching his own show.
January 11, 2010: Launches The Daily Caller
On January 11, 2010, Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel launched the political news website The Daily Caller.
February 2010: The Daily Caller Joins White House Press Pool
By February 2010, The Daily Caller was part of the White House rotating press pool.
June 2010: The Daily Caller publishes excerpts from JournoList e-mails
In June 2010, The Daily Caller released excerpts from emails between members of JournoList, a liberal forum. These emails, according to Carlson, revealed efforts to formulate talking points to defeat Palin and McCain and help elect Barack Obama. The leaked emails also contained controversial remarks from The Washington Post's Dave Weigel, leading to his resignation.
September 2010: Carlson produced and hosted a special entitled Fighting for Our Children's Minds
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 right-wing news and opinion website The Daily Caller.
February 2012: The Daily Caller publishes an "investigative series" of articles on Media Matters
In February 2012, The Daily Caller, with Carlson as co-author, published an investigative series on Media Matters for America. The piece was criticized for relying on conjecture and lacking evidence.
October 2012: Carlson publicizes 2007 video of Obama
In October 2012, Tucker Carlson publicized a 2007 video of then-Senator Barack Obama criticizing the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina and complimenting Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The video had been available online since 2007 and had portions that were already available online since 2007.
April 2013: Carlson becomes co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend
In April 2013, Tucker Carlson replaced Dave Briggs as a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend, alongside Alisyn Camerota and Clayton Morris.
2015: Senior Fellow at Cato Institute
From 2009 through 2015, Tucker Carlson was a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.
November 14, 2016: Tucker Carlson Tonight premieres on Fox News
On November 14, 2016, Tucker Carlson began hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News. The premiere episode was the network's most watched telecast of the year in its time slot, attracting 3.7 million viewers.
2016: Hosts Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News
From 2016, Tucker Carlson hosted the nightly political talk show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News.
January 9, 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight replaces Megyn Kelly at 9:00 p.m. time slot
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.
February 23, 2017: The Atlantic on Carlson's Televised Partisan Combat
On February 23, 2017, The Atlantic wrote that "Carlson's true talent is not for political philosophizing, it's for televised partisan combat. His go-to weapons—the smirky sarcasm, the barbed comebacks, the vicious politeness—seem uniquely designed to drive his sparring partners nuts, frequently making for terrific television".
March 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight becomes most watched cable program
In March 2017, Tucker Carlson Tonight became the most watched cable program in the 9:00 p.m. time slot.
April 19, 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight moves to 8:00 p.m. on Fox News
On April 19, 2017, following the cancellation of The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News announced that Tucker Carlson Tonight would air at 8:00 p.m.
May 2017: Book Deal with Simon & Schuster
In May 2017, Tucker Carlson, represented by Javelin, signed an eight-figure, two-book deal with Simon & Schuster's Threshold Editions.
June 2017: The Daily Caller paid by Donald Trump's 2016 campaign for its list of subscribers
In June 2017, The Daily Caller was reported to have been paid $150,000 by Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign for its subscriber list. The Center for Media and Democracy watchdog group claimed Carlson had a conflict of interest and had violated journalistic standards as a result.
September 19, 2017: GQ Profile on Carlson's Show
On September 19, 2017, journalist Stephen Rodrick wrote in a GQ profile of Carlson: "On his show, Carlson mocks and verbally body-slams those who disagree with him, a passel of easy marks such as Democratic politicians, well-meaning liberal activists, and young reporters. He shares with Donald Trump a deep reluctance to apologize for his mistakes, and he lobs insults that seem suspiciously like subconscious self-assessments: He loves to accuse his guests of 'preening', and he derides 'pomposity, smugness, and groupthink'."
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: Tucker Carlson Tonight is second-highest rated cable news show in prime time
In October 2018, Tucker Carlson Tonight became the second-highest rated cable news show in prime time, with 3.2 million nightly viewers, after The Sean Hannity Show. By the end of 2018, a boycott by advertisers began after Carlson stated immigration makes the country "poorer, dirtier and more divided".
2018: Carlson Incorrectly Argues Trump Extorted by McDougal
In 2018, Carlson incorrectly argued that Donald Trump had been a victim of extortion by Karen McDougal.
2018: Darren Beattie Fired as Trump Speechwriter
In 2018, Darren Beattie, who later appeared on Tucker Carlson's show, was fired as a Trump speechwriter after CNN inquired about his attendance at a gathering of white nationalists.
2018: Promotion of Populist Economics
In 2018, Tucker Carlson began promoting more populist economic views, criticizing libertarianism and asserting that market capitalism is not a religion. He also suggested that some Republicans were controlled by banks.
January 2019: Tucker Carlson Tonight drops to third place and loses advertisers
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. The show also lost at least 26 advertisers.
January 2019: Criticism of Mainstream Republican Worldview
In January 2019, Tucker Carlson criticized what he described as the "mainstream Republican" worldview, specifically targeting unwavering support for a finance-based economy, using a The Washington Post op-ed by Romney as a basis for his criticism.
March 2019: Calls to fire Carlson after resurfaced remarks
In March 2019, there were calls to fire Carlson from Fox News after Media Matters resurfaced remarks he had made to the radio show Bubba the Love Sponge. Despite boycotts, his ratings increased.
June 2019: Role in Dissuading Trump from Military Strikes Against Iran
In June 2019, Tucker Carlson reportedly played an influential role in dissuading President Trump from launching military strikes against Iran after the shooting down of an American drone, arguing it would hurt his re-election chances.
August 2019: Advertisers fulfill media buy contracts for Tucker Carlson Tonight's time slot
By August 2019, Media Matters calculated that some companies had fulfilled their media buy contracts and advertising inventory for the Tucker Carlson Tonight's 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, national security advisor, after being lobbied by Tucker Carlson, who criticized Bolton's hawkish stance on Iran.
December 2019: Karen McDougal sues Fox News over Carlson's comments
In December 2019, Playboy model Karen McDougal sued Fox News after Tucker Carlson accused her of extorting Donald Trump in a 2018 episode of his show.
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 also praised Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren's economic plan and her book, calling The Two Income Trap "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 for an undisclosed amount, stating that Patel was effectively running it.
July 2020: Blake Neff resigns from Tucker Carlson Tonight
In July 2020, Blake Neff, Carlson's head writer, resigned after CNN Business reported he had been using a pseudonym to post racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks on AutoAdmit. This incident led to renewed scrutiny of Carlson's program.
September 2020: Carlson on Lying on TV
In September 2020, on The Rubin Report, Tucker Carlson said that, unlike TV newscasters who he said "systematically lie", he will only lie "if I'm really cornered or something", saying, "I lie. I really try not to. I try never to lie on TV. ... I don't like lying. I certainly do it, you know, out of weakness or whatever."
October 2020: Tucker Carlson Tonight averages 5.3 million viewers
By October 2020, Tucker Carlson Tonight averaged 5.3 million viewers, becoming the highest of any cable news program in history at that point. However, the show saw a dip in viewership following the 2020 election.
2020: Tucker Carlson Tonight becomes 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., averaging four million viewers. This occurred after Carlson criticized the Black Lives Matter movement, which caused some companies to pull their advertising from the show.
2020: Fox News Defends Carlson in Slander Lawsuit
In 2020, Fox News successfully defended Carlson in a slander lawsuit by Karen McDougal, citing Carlson's use of hyperbole as a rhetorical device.
2020: Leaves The Daily Caller
In 2020, Tucker Carlson sold his ownership stake and left The Daily Caller.
February 2021: Carlson announces 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 and began hosting a show on Fox Nation called Tucker Carlson Today in the spring of 2021.
June 21, 2021: Reported as Media Source
On June 21, 2021, New York Times reported that Tucker Carlson was a media source for several journalists and authors who wrote critically of Donald Trump.
July 2021: Time Article on Carlson's Rhetoric
In July 2021, Charlotte Alter of Time wrote that Carlson sometimes tells "outright falsehoods", but generally "avoids assertions that are factually disprovable, instead sticking to innuendo".
August 2021: Broadcasting from Hungary and Praising Viktor Orbán
In August 2021, Tucker Carlson traveled to Hungary, broadcasting from Budapest and praising Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's policies on asylum seekers. He also spoke at a conference sponsored by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium.
August 2021: NSA Inspector General Examines Carlson's Allegation
In August 2021, the NSA inspector general's office announced it was examining Tucker Carlson's allegation that the NSA had unmasked his identity.
2021: Carlson as a Leading Voice in Right-Wing Media
In 2021, Time said that Carlson could be the most powerful conservative in America. Mediaite named Carlson the most influential person in news media in 2021.
2021: Time 100 Inclusion and NewsCorp Executive Profile of Carlson
In 2021, a former NewsCorp executive, Alex Azam, described Carlson as having some impunity within Fox News. Also in 2021, he was included in the Time 100, Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
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. The Open Society Foundations called the film "anti-American propaganda".
April 2022: The New York Times Publishes "American Nationalist" Series on Carlson
In April 2022, The New York Times published a three-part 20,000-word investigative series on Carlson called "American Nationalist", documenting Carlson's rise to prominence and his rhetoric on immigration, race relations and the COVID-19 pandemic. Carlson responded by denying allegations from the Times about obsessing over ratings, saying that "I've never read the ratings a single day in my life. I don't even know how. Ask anyone at Fox."
May 2022: Tucker Carlson Tonight a close second to The Five
Through May 2022 Tucker Carlson Tonight was a close second to The Five, while leading in the 25-54 demographic.
2022: Carlson's Reluctance to Acknowledge Factual Errors
In 2022, Bump argued that compared with other television anchors, Carlson is loath to acknowledge factual errors in his commentary.
April 2023: Fox News Canceled Tucker Carlson Tonight
In April 2023, Fox News canceled Tucker Carlson Tonight, leading Carlson to launch The Tucker Carlson Show.
April 24, 2023: Fox News dismisses Tucker Carlson
On the morning of Monday, April 24, 2023, Fox News dismissed Tucker Carlson and the executive producer of his evening show. Carlson seemingly did not receive prior notice, telling viewers on Friday, April 21, that he would "be back on Monday".
May 9, 2023: Carlson announces relaunch of his show on Twitter
On May 9, 2023, Tucker Carlson announced via a video on his Twitter feed that he would relaunch his show on Twitter. His attorneys alleged that Rupert Murdoch and other Fox executives "intentionally" broke their promises to him.
June 6, 2023: Tucker on Twitter first episode released
On June 6, 2023, the first episode of Tucker on Twitter was released. During the episode, Carlson made controversial claims regarding extraterrestrial starships, Volodymyr Zelensky, the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, Black Lives Matter, and the September 11 attacks.
June 2023: Carlson seeks funds to start a new media company
In June 2023, it was reported that Tucker Carlson was seeking funds to start a new media company with Neil Patel.
August 2023: Visit to Hungary and Meeting with Serbian Officials
In August 2023, Tucker Carlson visited Hungary and met with Serbian officials, including the Minister of Sports, Zoran Gajić, the Minister of Finance, Siniša Mali, and President Aleksandar Vučić.
August 23, 2023: Carlson hosts Donald Trump on Tucker on X
On August 23, 2023, Tucker Carlson hosted Donald Trump on Tucker on X, deliberately timed to conflict with the first 2024 Republican debate.
September 6, 2023: Carlson interviews Larry Sinclair
On September 6, 2023, Tucker Carlson interviewed Larry Sinclair, who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Barack Obama. The interview was widely criticized.
October 2023: Guest hosts fill Carlson's old slot
As of October 2023, a rotation of guest hosts filled Carlson's old slot on Fox News until a permanent replacement was found.
2023: Starts Tucker on X and The Tucker Carlson Show
In 2023, Tucker Carlson started hosting Tucker on X and The Tucker Carlson Show after his contract with Fox News was terminated.
February 2024: Interviews Vladimir Putin
In February 2024, Tucker Carlson became the first Western journalist to interview Russian president Vladimir Putin since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
May 2024: Launch of The Tucker Carlson Show podcast
In May 2024, Tucker Carlson launched The Tucker Carlson Show, a weekly commentary podcast. Despite initial reports of diminished popularity, the show quickly gained traction.
July 2024: The Tucker Carlson Show on Spotify
By July 2024, The Tucker Carlson Show became the #1 most popular political podcast on Spotify.
2024: Carlson Considers a Presidential Run in 2028
In 2024, Tucker Carlson stated on his podcast that he would consider running for president in 2028, while also admitting he may not be very good at it.
2028: Speculation about Carlson's Presidential Run
Speculation arose regarding Tucker Carlson potentially running for President of the United States in 2024 and 2028, but Carlson conceded in 2024 that he might not be well-suited for the role.
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