On Tuesday evening, Tucker Carlson launched his new show, Tucker on Twitter, and within a short span, the first episode garnered a remarkable 65 million views. While the exact definition of a view is unclear, it is evident that Carlson is reaching a significantly larger audience on Twitter compared to his previous platform, Fox News. Moreover, his viewership numbers are poised to increase even further. Carlson’s video announcement on May 9, in which he revealed his plan to move his show to Twitter, amassed over 134 million views, and his first post following his departure from Fox News has already garnered 85 million views.
In the inaugural episode of Tucker on Twitter, Carlson, in his distinct style, addressed several topics, including the recent destruction of Ukraine’s Nova Kakhovka dam, America’s ongoing support for Ukraine, and commentary on Lindsey Graham, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Nikki Haley. He concluded by expressing his belief that American citizens may be among the least informed in the world due to political leaders suppressing information and the media’s negligence in reporting on crucial stories.
He pondered, “Your average yak herder in Tajikistan knows who blew up the Nord Stream pipeline. It’s obvious. Does he think some skinny dude in a dress is actually a girl? Come on. That idea would never occur to him. You’ve got to be lied to at full volume over a period of years to reach conclusions like that. And of course, we have been.” Carlson criticized the media for not only spreading falsehoods but also for disregarding important stories. He raised questions about the use of U.S. dollars sent to Ukraine, the organizers of the BLM riots, the events of 9/11, the mysteries surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s wealth and death, as well as the assassination of JFK.
Considering the recent challenges Twitter faced with the DeSantis presidential campaign launch, there was skepticism about the platform’s effectiveness for Carlson. Twitter has a smaller user base compared to television or even Facebook. Would it provide the viewership necessary for Carlson to maintain his influence? The initial response suggests that it might, although it will require multiple episodes on this platform to determine its long-term effectiveness.
The sustainability and growth of these viewership numbers, as well as Twitter’s ability to handle such growth, remain open questions that will only be answered over time. Currently, watching the clip on Twitter may pose challenges due to potential bandwidth issues. However, the significant initial engagement indicates that Tucker Carlson’s move to Twitter has the potential to reshape his reach and impact on the conservative audience.
