The ouster of Tucker Carlson at Fox News has left former President Donald Trump "shocked," but perhaps the libertarian just needs "free rein," Trump told Newsmax on Monday.
"Well, I'm shocked, I'm surprised," Trump told "Greg Kelly Reports" in an exclusive interview just hours after the news broke. "He's a very good person, a very good man, very talented, as you know, and he had very high ratings."
Trump said he heard the shocking news as the rest of the world did.
"I just said, 'Wow, that was something,'" Trump told host Greg Kelly. "That's a big one."
Fox News did not reveal why it had parted ways with Carlson, but speculation surrounded the $787.5 million Dominion Voting Systems settlement and another separate lawsuit by a former staffer alleging Fox lawyers had pressured her to give misleading testimony in the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit.
Trump told Kelly he had seen Carlson come around after some reports of a distaste for the former president.
"But I think Tucker's been terrific; he's been, especially over the last year or so, he's been terrific to me," Trump said.
"Maybe he left because he wants to be given his free rein. He wants free rein maybe, but I was surprised by it."
In several messages revealed in the lawsuit, Carlson suggested he had distaste for Trump at the time, but feared the network was losing viewers among the former president's fans, particularly to Newsmax.
As for the Fox News settlement, Trump was equally surprised and disappointed.
"I was surprised they made a settlement in that case," Trump told Kelly. "I think it was a case that should easily be won."
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