Tucker Carlson releases first episode on Twitter: ‘We’re grateful to be here’

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson released the first episode of his new show on Twitter Tuesday evening.

“Hey, it’s Tucker Carlson,” the host said, opening the 10-minute video while seated behind a desk at what appears to be his home in rural Maine.

Carlson then offered commentary on a reported explosion at a dam in Ukraine that sparked widespread evacuations in the war-torn country.

The conservative pundit used the episode to deride the American news media and politicians who have defended U.S. involvement in the country’s war with Russia

Carlson was ousted from his perch hosting Fox’s 8 p.m. hour earlier this year and neither he nor the network have publicly commented on what led to his departure. Several reports have surfaced in recent weeks suggesting that his ouster was connected to disparaging comments the host made about network leadership in text messages and made public as part of its now-settled defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems.

Carlson remains under contract with Fox and it’s unclear if his production of content for the social media platform would violate the terms of his agreement with the network. The pundit has separately accused the network of violating its contract by leaking unflattering material about him to the press.

In a cryptic video posted just says after his ouster, Carlson announced he would bring a version of his old Fox show to Twitter, which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk.

“As of today we have come to Twitter, which we hope will be the short wave radio under the blankets,” Carlson said, closing his first video on the platform. “We’re told there are no gatekeepers here. If that turns out to be false, we’ll leave. But in the meantime, we’re grateful to be here.”