According to a report released on Monday, Rupert Murdoch had a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a few weeks before Tucker Carlson was dismissed. During the call, they talked about the Ukraine War and the one-year anniversary of the deaths of Fox News journalists in Ukraine last March.
Semafor reported the call resembled the one Zelensky had with Lachlan Murdoch, the Executive Chair and CEO of Fox Corp., on March 15th, which Zelensky disclosed during a national broadcast.
The website said these discussions occurred shortly before Tucker Carlson was dismissed from his position at Fox. He had been vocal about the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars that went toward supporting Ukraine. Fox executives had been made aware of objections from senior Ukrainian officials regarding Carlson’s coverage. Still, during the calls with the Murdochs, President Zelenskyy did not bring up the matter, as per a source familiar with the call details.
Carlson had previously referred to Zelensky as a “dictator.” The Washington Post stated that Rupert Murdoch was unsettled by Carlson’s position on Ukraine, particularly after a segment on Carlson’s show referred to Zelensky as a “Ukrainian pimp.”
In addition, Semafor reported that the editorial pages of The New York Post and The Wall Street Journal, seen as Murdoch family spokespersons, have regularly criticized Republicans who oppose the war. The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board labeled DeSantis’s characterization of the war as his “first mistake.”
As per the report, “more moderate pro-Ukraine members of the Republican caucus,” such as Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), have expressed their relief over Carlson’s departure. The report stated they are pleased that the loudest voice against U.S. support for Ukraine will be reduced now.
A senior congressional aide from the Republican Party told Semafor that Carlson had made several members apprehensive, leading them to withhold their full support towards Ukraine. They added that Carlson’s exit could diminish the most vigorous opposition to U.S. support for Ukraine.
