Tucker Carlson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tucker Carlson
Carlson in 2024
Born	Tucker McNear Carlson (1969-05-16) May 16, 1969 (age 56) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Education	Trinity College, Connecticut (BA)
Occupation	Television journalist commentator columnist writer
Employer	CNN (2000–2005) PBS (2004–2005) MSNBC (2005–2008) Fox News (2009–2023)
Television	Crossfire Tucker Tucker Carlson Tonight
Political party	Republican (2020–present) Democratic (2006–2020)
Movement	Conservatism
Spouse(s)	Susan Andrews ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	4
Parent(s)	Dick Carlson (father)

Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson (born May 16, 1969) is an American conservative political commentator. He is known for hosting the TV show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to 2023. After leaving Fox News, he started hosting shows online, including Tucker on X and The Tucker Carlson Show.

Early Life and Education

Carlson at the Buckley School in 1975

Tucker Carlson was born in San Francisco, California, on May 16, 1969. His mother, Lisa McNear, was an artist. His father, Dick Carlson, was a reporter and later worked for government media organizations. Tucker has a younger brother named Buckley.

When Tucker was six, his parents divorced. His father raised Tucker and his brother. His mother moved to France, and they did not see her again.

Tucker and his brother moved to La Jolla, California, with their father. Tucker went to La Jolla Country Day School. His father later married Patricia Caroline Swanson. She was part of the Swanson family, known for their food company. Patricia adopted Tucker and his brother.

Carlson briefly attended a boarding school in Switzerland but said he was "kicked out." He then went to St. George's School in Rhode Island. There, he met Susan Andrews, who would become his wife. She was the headmaster's daughter.

After high school, he studied history at Trinity College (Connecticut). He graduated in 1991. After college, he wanted to join the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), but his application was not accepted. His father encouraged him to become a journalist instead.

Career in Media

Paul Begala (left) and Tom McDevitt with Carlson in 2012

Carlson working as a Fox News correspondent in 2016

Carlson at a student event in 2020

Carlson started his career in the 1990s, writing for magazines like The Weekly Standard. From 2000 to 2005, he was a commentator for CNN. He also co-hosted Crossfire, a debate show.

From 2005 to 2008, he hosted his own show called Tucker on MSNBC. In 2009, he joined Fox News as a political expert. In 2010, he helped start The Daily Caller, a news website. He left the website in 2020.

On November 14, 2016, Carlson began hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News. His first episode was very popular, with 3.7 million viewers. The show quickly became one of the most-watched cable news programs. By October 2020, it had about 5.3 million viewers, setting a record for cable news at that time.

In 2021, Carlson signed a new deal with Fox News. He started a weekly podcast and monthly specials called Tucker Carlson Originals on Fox Nation, a streaming service. He also hosted Tucker Carlson Today on Fox Nation.

On April 24, 2023, Fox News ended Carlson's contract. The company did not give a public reason. On May 9, 2023, Carlson announced he would restart his show on Twitter (now called X). The first episode of Tucker on Twitter came out on June 6, 2023.

In December 2023, Carlson launched his own streaming service called Tucker Carlson Network. It offers both free and paid content.

Carlson interviewing Russian president Vladimir Putin in February 2024

Books Written

Carlson at a 2007 Ron Paul event

Carlson interviewing Vladimir Putin

Carlson at a rally in 2006

Tucker Carlson has written three books:

• Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites (2003)
• Ship of Fools (2018)
• The Long Slide (2021)

In 2023, a book about Carlson called Tucker was released. It was written by Chadwick Moore, who interviewed Carlson many times for the book. The book aimed to share Carlson's side of his departure from Fox News.

Political Views

Carlson with Charlie Kirk in 2018

Carlson often shares his opinions on politics. He has been critical of immigration. He used to support economic ideas that favored less government involvement. Now, he supports protectionism, which means protecting a country's own industries.

He has also changed his mind about U.S. military actions in other countries. In 2004, he stopped supporting the Iraq War. Since then, he has often been doubtful about the United States getting involved in foreign conflicts. Some people believe he influenced certain decisions made by President Trump.

In February 2024, Carlson interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was the first Western journalist to interview Putin since February 2022. This interview caused a lot of discussion.

Personal Life

Tucker Carlson is married to Susan Thomson Carlson (née Andrews). They met when they were in high school at St. George's School. They got married on August 10, 1991, in the school chapel. They have four children together.

Carlson is left-handed. He also has dyslexia, which is a learning difference that can affect reading.

Published Works

• Carlson, Tucker (2003). Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News. New York: Warner Books. ISBN: 978-0759508002.
• Carlson, Tucker (2018). Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class Is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 978-1501183669.
• Carlson, Tucker (2021). The Long Slide: Thirty Years in American Journalism. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 978-1501183690.

See also

In Spanish: Tucker Carlson para niños