Former Fox News host Dan Bongino revealed why he departed the network amid rumors and speculation surrounding Tucker Carlson, who exited the network just days later.
Bongino confirmed that he was leaving Fox News in April but signaled at the time that the parting was mutual. However, after Carlson’s exit, there were also rumors about why Bongino may have left.
“I think a lot of people think this may be some kind of anti-Trump thing. I gotta say—that wasn’t my case,” Bongino told former Fox host Megyn Kelly on her podcast Friday. “I was not targeted. My show, they were dying to re-up—we negotiated for an entire year. So I can’t tell you like, ‘Oh, Fox got rid of me,’ because they didn’t,” he said.
“I negotiate my own deals. I don’t have an agent. I do my own business deals. I don’t need any, I do my own business,” he added, saying that Fox “wanted the show” but “I just had a different vision for my role at the network and that’s okay. I’m not the Saturday guy, Megyn, I’m sorry I can’t work six days a week.”
“I’ve got young kids and I’m not working six days a week,” he added. “And even though we recorded the show on Friday, you know, the inside baseball of Fox, what happens when there’s breaking news? Which with Trump out there is all the time—you gotta be on,” Bongino said.
According to Bongino, who hosts a podcast on Rumble, he said Fox News included an offer in which it would be able to call him in to cover breaking news at any time.
“It’s hard—so I couldn’t do it. And I said, ‘I’m sorry, that’s not gonna work out.’ So I definitely was not fired. Liberals are just making that up … but I’m not the easiest guy to deal with Megyn,” Bongino. “And the thing, I think [what] your success out there on your own has bought you is freedom. Money buys freedom,” he remarked.
Bongino did not make mention of why he believes Fox News parted ways with Carlson last month. Both Fox News and Carlson have offered virtually no public details, and, when asked about rumors about Carlson’s contract, a spokesperson for Fox previously directed The Epoch Times to the initial news release announcing the host’s departure.
During a podcast episode in late April, Bongino announced that he and Fox parted ways and that it would be effective immediately. He indicated that his departure was not due to a recent lawsuit that Fox News had settled, but he conceded: “The timing’s not great.”
“The show ending last week was tough. It’s not some big conspiracy theory, I promise you. There’s no acrimony,” Bongino said on April 20. “We just couldn’t come to terms on an extension. That’s really it.” He added: “I really enjoyed myself there. They were good for me for ten years.”
In a statement at the time, Fox News confirmed his departure. “We thank Dan for his contributions and wish him success in his future endeavors,” he said, without elaborating on why he departed. Fox News also said it will air “Lawrence Jones Cross Country” in place of Bongino’s program on Saturday, while a new schedule will be announced in the “coming weeks,” according to a statement.
As for Carlson, the former Fox host released a now-viral Twitter video last week saying that he will bring his formerly top-rated program to the social media platform. Details about that endeavor were not provided.
Changes at Fox?
Earlier this week, the Drudge Report aggregation website, in an article that appeared to cite anonymous sources, claimed that Fox News would re-do its primetime lineup after Carlson’s departure. That would include bumping Sean Hannity to the 8 p.m. ET timeslot that Carlson had hosted, while there were also rumors alleging that host Laura Ingraham would be leaving.
But a Fox News spokesperson refuted the rumors around Ingraham, who hosts a 10 p.m. ET show, by saying that she is staying with the network. It’s not clear, however, if she will remain during Fox’s primetime lineup.
A spokesperson told The Epoch Times on Wednesday that “reports based on various tweets by left wing activists are wildly inaccurate” and that “Laura Ingraham, the top-rated woman in cable news, is now and will continue to be a prominent host and integral part of the FOX News lineup.” Regarding whether Hannity will move, the spokesperson said that “no decision has been made on a new primetime line-up and there are multiple scenarios under consideration.”
On Friday, more reports citing anonymous sources surfaced that claimed Fox News recently carried out a series of layoffs, including the slashing of its entire investigative division. A report from Rolling Stone cited an unnamed Fox employee and another alleged staffer, although the network hasn’t yet released a comment.
