Are you curious about how much money Tucker Carlson, the famous conservative political commentator and TV host, has made? Yahoo News reports that he earned $8 million a year while working at Fox News. Celebrity Net Worth estimates that, when he left Fox, Tucker Carlson had a net worth of about $30 million. Moreover, we’ll also discuss his wife, children, successful career, and financial achievements in this insightful article.
Who is Tucker Carlson?
Tucker Carlson, born on May 16, 1969, is an American conservative political commentator and writer. He hosted the popular nightly political talk show “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Fox News from 2016 to 2023. As of 2024, Tucker Carlson is 55 years old. After Fox News ended his contract, he started hosting a show called “Tucker” on the social media platform X.
Carlson strongly supports the former U.S. President Donald Trump and is often seen as the leading voice of Trumpism. Many consider him the most influential figure in right-wing media today. In February 2024, Carlson made headlines by becoming the first Western journalist to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Tucker Carlson Net Worth
So, as we’ve already provided an estimated figure in the introduction regarding Tucker Carlson’s net worth, let’s examine where his wealth originates. He worked as a commentator for CNN from 2000 to 2005. Then, he hosted a show on MSNBC from 2005 to 2008. In 2009, he joined Fox News and started hosting “Tucker Carlson Tonight” in 2016.
On April 24, 2023, Fox News fired Tucker, just a week after Fox paid $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems. This surprising move shook the media world. On the same day, CNN also unexpectedly fired Don Lemon.
Besides his TV work, Tucker co-founded the website The Daily Caller. He is also a published author and columnist. On May 9, 2023, Tucker announced a new show on Twitter, choosing to give up an estimated $25 million from his Fox News contract. More details about this and other contracts will be covered in the next section.
Tucker Carlson’s Early Life
Tucker was born in San Francisco, but he grew up mostly in Southern California. His dad, Richard Warner Carlson, was a news anchor in LA and also an ambassador to the Seychelles. When Tucker was only six, his mom left the family. But when he turned 10, his dad married Patricia Caroline Swanson. She was really rich because her grandpa, Carl A. Swanson, started the Swanson frozen foods company.
Tucker went to Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He studied history there and graduated in 1991.
Tucker Carlson Career
Tucker Carlson started his journalism career as a fact-checker at Policy Review, a conservative journal. He later wrote for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette before joining The Weekly Standard. His interview with then-Governor George W. Bush stirred controversy during Bush’s presidential campaign.
Moving forward, Carlson became a notable columnist for various publications like New York magazine and Reader’s Digest. He gained recognition for his insightful reporting, including a profile on his trip to Liberia, which earned a nomination for a prestigious award.
Transitioning to television, Carlson co-hosted shows like The Spin Room and Crossfire on CNN. His interview with Britney Spears and a memorable clash with Jon Stewart on Crossfire made headlines.
After leaving CNN, Carlson launched his own show, Tucker, on MSNBC. Despite initial success, the show was eventually canceled due to low ratings. Carlson’s stint on Dancing with the Stars and cameo appearances in TV shows and movies added diversity to his career.
In 2010, Carlson co-founded The Daily Caller, a political news website. The Daily Caller broke stories and attracted attention for its controversial actions, including publishing private emails and facing criticism for conflicts of interest.
Finally, Carlson found a home at Fox News, where he served as a contributor and co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend. His career has been marked by ups and downs, but he remains a prominent figure in journalism.
Tucker Carlson Wife
Tucker Carlson married Susan Andrews in 1991. They met while they were both students at St. George’s School, a boarding school in Middletown, Rhode Island. Tucker and Susan began dating when they were at school, and they eventually got married in the school’s chapel. They have four children together. Fun fact: Tucker is left-handed and dyslexic.
Tucker Carlson Children
Tucker Carlson has four children: Lillie, Buckley, Hopie, and Dorothy. Lillie is the oldest, followed by Buckley, Hopie, and Dorothy.
Lillie is estimated to be between 26 and 28 years old, while Buckley is believed to be between 24 and 25 years old. Hopie, born in 1999, is 25 years old. Dorothy is thought to be between 20 and 21 years old.
Hopie attended St. George’s private school, the same school her parents went to. Buckley was named after Tucker’s brother and works for US Representative Jim Banks, according to Distractify.
Tucker Carlson Today
Back in February 2021, Tucker Carlson made a big announcement: he signed a deal with Fox News. This deal was for him to host a brand-new podcast every week and also do some monthly specials. They called these specials Tucker Carlson Originals, and they premiered on Fox Nation, a streaming service related to Fox News.
People started watching them on March 29. Then, in the spring of 2021, he started another show on Fox Nation called Tucker Carlson Today.
Tucker Carlson Interview
Tucker Carlson recently interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin in a much-talked-about show called “The Vladimir Putin Interview.” This interview marked the first time Putin spoke to a Western journalist since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. During the interview, Carlson asked Putin about the invasion of Ukraine.
Putin responded by giving a detailed historical perspective on Eastern Europe, mentioning events like World War II and the relationship between Poland and Nazi Germany. He justified the invasion of Ukraine by citing historical and ethnic ties between Russia and Ukraine and criticized Ukraine’s government for not following certain agreements.
Putin also repeated some of his previous statements, including his view that Ukraine’s 2014 revolution was influenced by the West and that Ukraine started the conflict in Donbas. He expressed a desire to negotiate with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite Zelenskyy’s reluctance. Putin emphasized that Russia had no plans to attack NATO members Poland or Latvia unless they attacked Russia first.
In the interview, Putin suggested that the U.S. government is controlled by its intelligence agencies rather than elected officials. He blamed the West for various issues, such as sabotaging the Nord Stream pipeline and prolonging the war. Putin also mentioned past discussions with American leaders about Russia’s potential NATO membership, which didn’t materialize.
Towards the end, Carlson asked Putin about releasing an American journalist detained in Russia in exchange for a Russian individual involved in a past incident in Europe. Putin hinted at the possibility of a prisoner swap, indicating Russia’s stance on such matters.
Tucker Carlson Network
Justin Wells, who was the president of Tucker Carlson’s news startup called the ‘Tucker Carlson Network’, has left his job, according to two people who know about it. Wells worked with Carlson for a long time, helping him with his popular TV show on Fox News. After both Carlson and Wells were let go from Fox in April 2023, Wells helped Carlson start a new show on a different platform called X.
Now, Wells has started his own company to make TV shows, according to someone who knows about his plans.
We don’t know exactly why Wells left his job, but it seems like he’s still going to work closely with Carlson. One person said Wells will keep advising Carlson on different projects for many years.
Carlson sent a text message saying he’s glad Wells is still around. But Wells didn’t want to talk about why he left. The news first came out from Puck.
At Fox, Carlson’s spot was taken by Jesse Watters, who now has the highest ratings on the network. However, Watters’ show hasn’t been as popular as Carlson’s.
On the other hand, Carlson’s new show on X has made some noise, especially when he interviewed Vladimir Putin. But he hasn’t been as influential in shaping conservative politics as he was before, and fewer people are watching his show now.
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