Fox News host Tucker Carlson privately expressed contempt for former President Donald Trump in text messages revealed in court filings as part of the network’s ongoing legal fight with Dominion Voting Systems.
“We are very very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can’t wait,” Carlson wrote in one text to an unidentified Fox employee on Jan. 4, 2021, according to the filing. “I hate him passionately, I blew up at Peter Navarro today in frustration. I actually like Peter. But I can’t handle much more of this.”
Carlson’s text were included in a series of exhibits contained in new filings made by Dominion as part of its $1.6 billion lawsuit for defamation against Fox. Dominion has accused Fox of knowingly airing false claims about the company being spun by Trump and his allies.
Fox has so far argued to have the case dismissed on First Amendment grounds and accused Dominion of cherry picking quotes from its top talent and executives to build a stronger case in court.
“Thanks to today’s filings, Dominion has been caught red handed using more distortions and misinformation in their PR campaign to smear FOX News and trample on free speech and freedom of the press,” Fox said in a statement late Tuesday evening. “We already know they will say and do anything to try to win this case, but to twist and even misattribute quotes to the highest levels of our company is truly beyond the pale.”
As part of its new filings on Tuesday, Dominion also alleged Rupert Murdoch, owner and co-chairman of Fox Corp, wrote to Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott that top hosts Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham “went too far” in endorsing former President Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election.
Murdoch has in pervious internal communications and depositions with Dominion’s lawyers acknowledged that Trump’s claims were false.
A trial in the case is expected to begin in April.