Tucker Carlson is getting "ready to torch Fox News," according to a new report from Axios.
The report comes nearly two weeks after Fox decided to part ways with the extremely popular former host of Tucker Carlson Tonight.
Why exactly it is that Fox let Carlson go remains unclear. The outlet, in announcing Carlson's departure, only said:
FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.
Carlson, for his part, has also remained silent about the breakup. And, this likely has to do with the agreement that Fox and Carlson have - an agreement in which Fox is reportedly paying Carlson $20 million per year to not work.
The big question has been: "What is next for Carlson?" Axios's report, if true, provides the answer.
First off, the outlet reports that "Tucker Carlson is preparing to unleash allies to attack Fox News." The point of the attack is to try to "bully" Fox into letting Carlson get back to work before his noncompete agreement expires, which is January 2025.
"Carlson allies with big platforms are prepared to attack Fox for trying to keep him on the shelf," Axios reports, adding, "They're coming to him and saying: 'Do you want me to hit Fox?'"
Apparently, thus far, Carlson has been responding, "No. I want to get this done quietly and cleanly." But, this could soon change.
Carlson's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has made it clear that "the idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous."
Assuming that Carlson does find a way to get Fox to release him from the non-compete agreement, Axios reports that Carlson is considering two different options: working for one of Fox's rivals or starting his own company.
"Axios has learned Carlson is busy plotting a media empire of his own," the outlet reports. The outlet goes on to add that Carlson might follow in the footsteps of Bill O'Reilly by "building a direct-to-consumer media outlet where his millions of fans could pay to watch him."
On the other hand, Axios reports that Carlson has also "been contacted by outlets — including the right-wing Rumble and Newsmax — that offered to pay him more than his Fox contract."
It's apparent that Carlson has many options, and we know - from his popularity - that he'll succeed at just about any of them.
Step one, though, is getting out of that non-compete agreement. We'll have to keep an eye on if and how Carlson and company decide to ramp up the pressure on Fox.
