Top line
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Tucker Carlson’s firing from Fox News on Tuesday and suggested that his departure reflected a lack of support for free speech and dissent, a remark that follows the Kremlin-controlled media’s public job offers to the former primetime anchor.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference at the United Nations.
Basic facts
Lavrov made his immediate announcement about Carlson’s axing while speaking at a press conference at the United Nations on Tuesday, criticizing the United States for denying visas to Russian journalists.
Turning the conversation to “the state of freedom of speech in the United States,” Lavrov called Carlson’s departure from Fox “interesting news” and even asked: “What does it have to do with?” It remains only to assume.”
Lavrov further added that Carlson’s departure from Fox News means that “the richness of views in the American information space has suffered.”
Carlson has been highly critical of the Biden administration’s decision to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian invasion, and clips from his now-cancelled primetime show regularly appear on Russian state media.
In his speech to the press, Lavrov also argued that the European Union is increasingly becoming a militarized entity designed to contain Russia along with NATO.
News Peg!
The Russian foreign minister’s comments come just a day after several major Russian state media outlets publicly offered Carlson the job. The Kremlin-run international RT-formerly Russia Today-networkon Twitter in Carlson. “With RT, you can always ask more questions.” Later on Monday, Vladimir Solovyov, one of Russia’s most popular TV hosts and pro-Putin campaigners, also offered Carlson a spot on his Solovyov Live web show. On Telegram, the show’s official host shared a screenshot of an email sent to Carlson praising him for being the “last voice of reason” in the US mainstream media. “You have our admiration and support in whatever endeavor you choose to pursue, whether it’s running for President of the United States (which, by the way, you should totally do) or starting an independent media project,” the letter reads. Solovyov Live also said he would be “happy to offer” Carlson the job, adding that “There’s no need to be afraid of taking away from Biden here.”
Basic background
Fox News announced Carlson’s departure from the network on Monday, without providing details or explanation. The shocking announcement seemed to catch everyone, including Carlson and the network people, off guard. During his final primetime broadcast on Friday, Carlson did not indicate any plans to leave, and the network itself promoted Carlson’s unaired interview with Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy late Monday morning. It Wall Street Journal reports that Carlson was fired by Fox News CEO Susan Scott and Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch, who made their decision last Friday.
Further reading
Why Fox Ax Tucker Carlson? These are the most likely reasons (Forbes)
Here’s what Tucker Carlson said in the lawsuits that allegedly got him fired (Forbes)
See how a senior Russian official reacted to Tucker Carlson’s departure (CNN)