Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson‘s firing showed that American free speech rights were under attack. He called Carlson’s ouster “curious news.”
“What is this related to? One can only guess, but clearly, the wealth of views in the American information space has suffered as a result,” Lavrov said during a press conference at the United Nations Council. Lavrov had just criticized the United States for not allowing Russian journalists into the country.
Carlson, an outspoken critic of President Joe Biden who floated Russian-backed conspiracy theories on his now-canceled prime-time show, has been offered a job by Russian state-run media.
“You have our admiration and support in any endeavor you choose for yourself next, be it running for President of the United States (which you should totally do, by the way) or making an independent media project,” RT, a Kremlin-backed media platform, told Carlson in an email revealed on Telegram.
Fox News fired Carlson after settling a civil defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $737 million. Former Tucker Carlson Tonight producer Abby Grossberg sued Fox News for wrongful termination.
Grossberg’s lawsuit made multiple allegations, including claims that Carlson’s show cultivated a misogynistic work environment – including sexualizing female politicians and using derogatory slurs for women.
The Russian-based job offer comes weeks after Russia jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges. The Biden administration and The Wall Street Journal have called for Gershkovich’s immediate release.
