Tucker Carlson Called Trump ‘A Demonic Force’ and ‘A Destroyer’ on Day of Capitol Riot, Newly-Released Text Shows

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

On the night of Jan. 6, 2021, Fox News host Tucker Carlson referred to then-President Donald Trump as “a demonic force” in a text to his producer after Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol that day.

It was one of many revelations in a filing by Dominion Voting Systems, which is suing Fox News for defamation and seeking $1.6 billion in damages.

At issue are claims Fox News hosts and guests made shortly after the 2020 presidential election. Some of them suggested or stated outright that Dominion’s machines were part of a scheme to steal the contest from Trump, who claimed the election was rigged.

Two days after the 2020 election with the result yet to be determined, Carlson fumed via text about Fox News calling Arizona for Joe Biden. Dominion’s filing notes the network was taking heavy criticism from conservatives at the time. According to a text in the filing (page 19), the Arizona call seemed to cause consternation among the network’s biggest stars:

Fox Hosts Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity immediately understood the threat to them personally. Carlson wrote his producer Alex Pfeiffer on November 5: “We worked really hard to build what we have. Those fuckers are destroying our credibility. It enrages me.” He added that he had spoken with Laura and [S]ean a minute ago and they are highly upset,” Carlson noted: “At this point we’re getting hurt no matter what.” Pfeiffer responded: It’s a hard needle to thread, but I really think many on our side are being reckless demagogues right now. Tucker replied: Of course they are. We’re not going to follow them.” And he added: What [Trump]’s good at is destroying things. He’s the undisputed world champion of that. He could easily destroy us if we play it wrong.”

Two months later, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building to overturn the election while Congress was inside certifying the results.

The filing includes a text from Carlson to his producer  later that day (page 43) in which the Fox News host calls Trump “a demonic force”:

After January 6, trying to thread the needle between the truth and pressure from his viewers and sponsors became even more difficult. Late on January 6, Carlson texted with Pfeiffer that Trump is “a demonic force, a destroyer. But he’s not going to destroy us.” On January 26, Carlson invited his leading sponsor Mike Lindell on his show, where Lindell spouted these same conspiracies on air after previewing them for Carlson’s staff during a pre-interview.

On his show, Carlson has downplayed the Capitol riot and even referred to it as an “election justice protest.”

Elsewhere in the filing is a text where Carlson tells Sean Hannity that Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich should be “fired” over a fact check of Trump’s election lie.

“Please get her fired,” he said. “Seriously.”

Heinrich deleted the tweet, which cited Trump referring to Fox News reports. But she later tweeted election officials’ categorical denial of those claims.

Fox News says Dominion’s lawsuit is meritless.

“There will be a lot of noise and confusion generated by Dominion and their opportunistic private equity owners, but the core of this case remains about freedom of the press and freedom of speech, which are fundamental rights afforded by the Constitution and protected by New York Times v. Sullivan,” Fox News said in a statement.

Fox News filed an amended counterclaim against Dominion on Thursday.

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