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, best known for hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to 2023. After his departure from Fox News, he launched shows on X and his own platform. A strong supporter of Donald Trump, Carlson has become a prominent voice in right-wing media, advocating for Trumpism and often associated with white grievance politics. He has been recognized as a highly influential figure in conservative media.
1988: Support for Ron Paul's Presidential Candidacy
In 1988, Tucker Carlson supported Ron Paul's presidential candidacy when Paul ran as the candidate for the Libertarian Party.
1995: Joins The Weekly Standard
In 1995, Tucker Carlson joined The Weekly Standard news magazine.
1999: Interview with George W. Bush
In 1999, Tucker Carlson interviewed then-Governor George W. Bush for Talk magazine, quoting Bush mocking Karla Faye Tucker.
2000: Bush campaign
In 2000, The piece about the interview with George W. Bush led to bad publicity for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.
2000: Co-host of The Spin Room
In 2000, Tucker Carlson co-hosted the short-lived show The Spin Room on CNN.
2001: Co-host of Crossfire
In 2001, Tucker Carlson became a co-host of Crossfire, a prime-time news debate program on CNN.
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 by Warner Books.
November 2003: Hired by PBS
In November 2003, Tucker Carlson was hired to helm a new program for PBS called Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered.
2003: Support for Iraq Invasion
In 2003, Tucker Carlson publicly supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq, but has since expressed regret for this support.
2003: Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites
In 2003, Tucker Carlson wrote '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: Britney Spears Interview
In 2003, Tucker Carlson's interview with Britney Spears, where she supported President Bush's decisions regarding the Iraq War, took place.
June 18, 2004: Launch of Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered
On June 18, 2004, Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered launched on PBS.
October 2004: Jon Stewart's Appearance on Crossfire
In October 2004, Jon Stewart appeared on Crossfire and criticized the show's format and its impact on political discourse, singling out Tucker Carlson for criticism.
2004: Criticism of Bush and the Iraq War
In 2004, Tucker Carlson wrote a commentary in Esquire accusing Bush of weakness after the September 11 attacks and in the invasion of Iraq, criticizing the war.
2004: Resignation from Crossfire
Tucker Carlson resigned from Crossfire in April 2004, citing his dislike for 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 would soon cancel Crossfire.
June 12, 2005: Leaving Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered
On June 12, 2005, Tucker Carlson announced he was leaving Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered to focus on his new MSNBC show.
June 13, 2005: Premiere of Tucker on MSNBC
On June 13, 2005, Tucker's show, originally titled The Situation With Tucker Carlson, premiered on MSNBC.
2005: Host of Tucker on MSNBC
From 2005 to 2008, Tucker Carlson hosted the nightly program Tucker on MSNBC.
September 13, 2006: Tucker Carlson eliminated from Dancing with the Stars
On September 13, 2006, Tucker Carlson, partnered with Elena Grinenko, was the first contestant eliminated from season 3 of 'Dancing with the Stars'.
2006: Host of 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 Carlson canceled by MSNBC
On March 10, 2008, Tucker Carlson was canceled by MSNBC due to low ratings. However, Carlson remained with the network as a senior campaign correspondent for the 2008 election.
March 14, 2008: Final episode of Tucker Carlson airs on MSNBC
On March 14, 2008, the final episode of Tucker Carlson's show aired on MSNBC after the network decided to cancel it. Carlson described being fired by MSNBC as leading to a professional meltdown.
2008: Swing Vote Cameo
In 2008, Tucker Carlson made a cameo appearance as himself in the film 'Swing Vote'.
2008: Support for Ron Paul's Presidential Candidacy as Republican
In 2008, Tucker Carlson supported Ron Paul's presidential candidacy when Paul ran as a Republican.
2009: Political Analyst for Fox News
In 2009, Tucker Carlson became a political analyst for Fox News.
2009: Senior Fellow at Cato Institute
In 2009, Tucker Carlson became a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.
January 11, 2010: The Daily Caller Launched
On January 11, 2010, Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel launched the political news website The Daily Caller. 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.
September 2010: Carlson hosts special Fighting for Our Children's Minds
In September 2010, Tucker Carlson produced and hosted a special on Fox News entitled 'Fighting for Our Children's Minds'.
2010: Co-founder of The Daily Caller
In 2010, Tucker Carlson co-founded the right-wing news and opinion website The Daily Caller 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, targeting Media Matters for America. The piece was criticized for relying on conjecture and lacking evidence.
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.
2012: Mitt Romney Nomination
In 2012, Mitt Romney was nominated as the Republican candidate for president.
April 2013: Carlson co-hosts Fox & Friends Weekend
In April 2013, Tucker Carlson replaced Dave Briggs as a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend, joining Alisyn Camerota and Clayton Morris.
2015: Senior Fellow at Cato Institute
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.
2016: Host of Tucker Carlson Tonight
In 2016, Tucker Carlson began hosting the nightly political talk show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News.
January 9, 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight moves to 9:00 p.m. time slot
On January 9, 2017, 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' moved to the 9:00 p.m. time slot on Fox News, replacing Megyn Kelly after she left the network.
January 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight scores high ratings
In January 2017, Forbes reported that 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' had high ratings, averaging 2.8 million viewers per night.
February 23, 2017: The Atlantic's assessment of Carlson's talent
On February 23, 2017, The Atlantic described Tucker Carlson's true talent as not being political philosophizing, but rather televised partisan combat, utilizing sarcasm, barbed comebacks, and vicious politeness to provoke his sparring partners.
March 2017: Tucker Carlson Tonight 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 airs at 8:00 p.m.
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: Carlson Signs Two-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.
July 2017: Statement on Domestic Threat from Iran
In July 2017, Tucker Carlson stated that "we actually don't face any domestic threat from Iran".
September 19, 2017: GQ profile of Carlson
On September 19, 2017, in a GQ profile, Stephen Rodrick described how Tucker Carlson mocks and verbally attacks those who disagree with him on his show and shares a reluctance to apologize for mistakes with Donald Trump.
2017: New York Times on Stewart's Criticism
In 2017, The New York Times referred to Jon Stewart's 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 is third-highest-rated cable news show
As of March 2018, Tucker Carlson Tonight was the third-highest-rated cable news show.
April 2018: Questioning Assad's Responsibility in Douma Chemical Attack
In April 2018, Tucker Carlson questioned whether Bashar al-Assad was responsible for the Douma chemical attack.
October 2018: Tucker Carlson Tonight is 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: Release of Ship of Fools
In October 2018, Tucker Carlson's book Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution was released and debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
2018: Carlson's incorrect argument about Donald Trump and Karen McDougal
In 2018, Tucker Carlson incorrectly argued that Donald Trump had been a victim of extortion by Karen McDougal, which later led to a slander lawsuit.
2018: Carlson adopts some of Buchanan's views
In his 2018 book, Ship of Fools, Carlson wrote that he had adopted some of Buchanan's views.
2018: Promotion of Populist Economics
Since 2018, Tucker Carlson has promoted more populist economics, attacking libertarianism and stating "market capitalism is not a religion." He also portrayed some Republicans as "controlled by the banks."
January 2019: Tucker Carlson Tonight viewership declines
By January 2019, viewership for 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' had declined to 2.8 million nightly viewers, a six percent decrease from the previous year, and the show lost advertisers.
January 2019: Criticism of Mainstream Republican Worldview
In January 2019, Tucker Carlson used a The Washington Post op-ed by Romney to criticize what he described as the "mainstream Republican" worldview, consisting of "unwavering support for a finance-based economy."
May 2019: Defense of Trump's Tariffs on Mexico
In May 2019, Tucker Carlson defended Trump's decision to place tariffs on Mexico unless Mexico stopped illegal immigration to the United States, calling Mexico "a hostile foreign power."
June 2019: Role in Dissuading Military Strikes Against Iran
According to The New York Times, in June 2019, Tucker Carlson played an influential role in dissuading Trump from launching military strikes against Iran in response to the shooting down of an American drone, advising Trump that such action would hurt his re-election chances.
June 2019: Defense of Trump's Friendship with Kim Jong-un
In June 2019, Tucker Carlson defended Trump's friendship with Kim Jong-un, stating that leading a country "means killing people."
September 10, 2019: Lobbying for Firing of John Bolton
On September 10, 2019, Donald Trump fired John Bolton after Tucker Carlson lobbied Trump to fire his national security advisor.
November 2019: Repeating Claims About Douma Chemical Attack and Suggesting False Flag
In November 2019, Tucker Carlson repeated claims questioning whether the Douma chemical attack had happened at all and suggested a similar attack was a false flag to implicate the Assad government.
2019: Criticism of LeBron James
In 2019, Tucker Carlson criticized LeBron James for speaking out against Daryl Morey.
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, in criticizing Mitt Romney. He praised Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren's economic plan and called her book 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 the site.
September 2020: Carlson's admission about lying
In September 2020, Tucker Carlson stated on The Rubin Report that unlike TV newscasters who "systematically lie", he only lies when "really cornered or something", expressing his dislike for lying on TV but admitting to doing it out of weakness.
October 2020: Tucker Carlson Tonight achieves record 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.
November 20, 2020: Promotion of COVID-19 Lab Leak Theory
On November 20, 2020, Tucker Carlson hosted Li-Meng Yan on his show to promote the COVID-19 lab leak theory, a theory that states COVID-19 was made in a Chinese laboratory and then escaped from the lab.
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, despite controversies around Carlson's remarks criticizing the Black Lives Matter movement.
2020: Fox News' defense in a slander lawsuit
In 2020, Fox News successfully defended a slander lawsuit by Karen McDougal, citing Carlson's use of hyperbole as a rhetorical device. This lawsuit was related to Carlson incorrectly arguing in 2018 that Donald Trump had been a victim of extortion by McDougal.
2020: Criticism of Soleimani Assassination
In 2020, Tucker Carlson called the assassination of Qasem Soleimani a "quagmire" and criticized those promoting foreign interventions.
2020: Calling Bob Iger a "propagandist"
In 2020, Tucker Carlson referred to Bob Iger as a "propagandist" for the Chinese Communist Party.
2020: Leaves The Daily Caller
In 2020, Tucker Carlson sold his ownership stake in The Daily Caller and left the company.
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: Carlson announces deal for podcast and specials
In February 2021, Tucker Carlson announced a multiyear deal with Fox News to host a new weekly podcast and series of monthly specials called 'Tucker Carlson Originals' on Fox Nation.
March 2021: Statements on Latin American Immigration Crisis
In March 2021, Tucker Carlson stated that issues like the Latin American immigration crisis should be blamed on "other colonial powers centuries ago" instead of the United States.
June 21, 2021: Report on Carlson as Media Source
On June 21, 2021, New York Times reporter Ben Smith reported that Tucker Carlson was a media source for several journalists and authors who wrote critically of Donald Trump.
July 2021: Carlson's statements and truthfulness
In July 2021, Charlotte Alter of Time noted that while Tucker Carlson sometimes tells "outright falsehoods", he generally sticks to innuendo, avoiding factually disprovable assertions. As an example, she cited that Carlson didn't endorse Sidney Powell's voter fraud claims in the 2020 election but questioned those dismissing inquiries about voting machines.
August 2021: Visit to Hungary and Praise for Viktor Orbán
In August 2021, Tucker Carlson traveled to Hungary, broadcasting from Budapest. He praised Viktor Orbán for rejecting asylum seekers and ridiculed the idea that Orbán was authoritarian.
August 2021: Release of The Long Slide
In August 2021, Tucker Carlson's second book, The Long Slide: Thirty Years in American Journalism, was released.
2021: Carlson's influence in American politics and media
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, in 2021 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 suggested Carlson could be the most powerful conservative in America, and Mediaite named him the most influential person in news media.
2021: Tucker Carlson Tonight remains most-watched news-related cable show
As of mid-2021, 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' remained the most-watched news-related cable show.
2021: Carlson's inclusion in Time 100 and impunity within Fox News
In 2021, a former NewsCorp executive, Alex Azam, described Tucker Carlson as having impunity within Fox News. Also in 2021, Carlson 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'
In January 2022, Tucker Carlson released the film "Hungary vs. Soros" on Fox Nation, promoting conspiracy theories about Soros.
April 2022: The New York Times publishes "American Nationalist" series
In April 2022, The New York Times published a three-part investigative series on Tucker Carlson called "American Nationalist". Carlson responded by saying that he has not read "American Nationalist" and does not plan to, and denied allegations about obsessing over ratings.
May 2022: Tucker Carlson Tonight second to The Five in viewership
Through May 2022, 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' was a close second to 'The Five' in total viewership, while leading in the 25–54 demographic.
September 2022: Comments on the British Empire After Queen Elizabeth II's Death
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Tucker Carlson commented that the British Empire had brought civilization to regions it occupied with "decency unmatched by any empire in human history".
2022: Carlson's reluctance to acknowledge errors
In 2022, Bump argued that Tucker Carlson is loath to acknowledge factual errors in his commentary compared to other television anchors.
2022: Defense of Putin Leading Up to Invasion of Ukraine
In 2022, Tucker Carlson was noted for defending Vladimir Putin in the lead-up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
2022: Response to Criticism from The New York Times
In 2022, in response to The New York Times publishing a report criticizing Tucker Carlson and his show, Carlson defended his show's views on race, invoking Martin Luther King Jr.'s principles.
2022: Downplaying Russian Military Buildup and Promoting Pro-Russian Disinformation
In early 2022, Tucker Carlson downplayed Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders as a "border dispute". Although Carlson called the Russian invasion of Ukraine "awful" and acknowledged Putin's responsibility, he has promoted pro-Russian disinformation since then.
April 24, 2023: Fox News Dismissed Carlson
On April 24, 2023, Fox News dismissed Tucker Carlson and his evening show's executive producer. Carlson apparently did not have advance notice of his dismissal.
May 9, 2023: Carlson Announces Relaunch of Show on Twitter
On May 9, 2023, Tucker Carlson announced he would relaunch his show on Twitter. His attorneys also sent a letter to Fox executives alleging breach of contract.
June 6, 2023: Release of Tucker on Twitter Episode 1
On June 6, 2023, the first episode of Tucker's new show, Tucker on Twitter, was released. In the episode, Carlson made several controversial claims.
June 2023: Carlson Seeks Funds for New Media Company
In June 2023, Tucker Carlson was reportedly seeking funds, along with Neil Patel, to start a new media company.
August 23, 2023: Carlson Hosts Donald Trump on Tucker on X
On August 23, 2023, Tucker Carlson hosted Donald Trump on Tucker on X, which was deliberately scheduled 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 made controversial claims about Barack Obama. The interview was criticized by many, including Elon Musk.
October 2023: Guest Hosts Fill Carlson's Old Slot
As of October 2023, Fox News began using a rotation of guest hosts to fill Tucker Carlson's former time slot until a permanent replacement could be found.
November 2023: La Gaceta Article Retraction After Carlson's Appearance
In November 2023, La Gaceta retracted Mamela Fiallo's rebuttal article after Carlson appeared with Santiago Abascal in support of the 2023 Spanish protests.
2023: End of Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News
In 2023, Tucker Carlson's contract with Fox News was terminated, ending his role as the host of Tucker Carlson Tonight.
February 2024: Interview with Vladimir Putin
In February 2024, Tucker Carlson became the first Western journalist to interview Vladimir Putin since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
February 2024: Carlson Interviews 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.
May 2024: Launch of The Tucker Carlson Show Podcast
In May 2024, Tucker Carlson launched a weekly commentary podcast, The Tucker Carlson Show, which quickly gained popularity.
July 2024: The Tucker Carlson Show Ranks #1 on Spotify
By July 2024, The Tucker Carlson Show became the #1 most popular podcast on Spotify.
2024: Conflict with the 2024 Republican Debate
In August 2023, Tucker Carlson hosted Donald Trump on Tucker on X, deliberately to conflict with the first 2024 Republican debate.
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