Tucker Carlson Runs Into Rupert Murdoch in RNC Showdown: First Encounter Since Mogul, 93, Fired His $20 Million Star From FOX News

Tucker Carlson bumped into Fox founder Rupert Murdoch in an awkward moment at the Republican National Convention.

It was the pair's first encounter since the 93-year-old media mogul abruptly canned the former Fox star, who was the most-watched cable news host in the country when he was ousted from the network in April 2023, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News snapped a photo of the showdown in the lobby of a hotel near the RNC in Milwaukee, writing: “Rupert Murdoch, just feet from Tucker (on the right), was immediately surrounded by his entourage, per a witness. Tucker walked by with a smile, per the witness.”

Carlson – who once drew in a hefty salary of over $20 million a year at Fox News – reportedly arrived for breakfast just as Murdoch was making his way to the elevator. They didn't interact, and one source claimed Murdoch didn't even see Carlson.

A source in the room told Mediaite: “One man in Carlson’s entourage – seen in the photo immediately to the right of him with a beard and a blazer – was sitting in the lobby having breakfast when Murdoch walked in.”

The source added: “The man got on the phone when he did, then dashed out of the lobby and returned with Carlson as Murdoch was leaving.”

That wasn't Carlson's only awkward run-in during the week's RNC festivities.

In an interview with Axios on Tuesday morning, Donald Trump Jr. claimed he was blacklisted by Fox News, which prompted Sean Hannity to invite him on his show that evening.

Don Jr. accepted the invite but brought Carlson along as guest to the green room in a move that he knew would ruffle some feathers.

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Sources familiar with the matter told NOTUS that Don Jr. and Carlson were already planning to have dinner on Tuesday, so when Hannity invited him to Fox News, Don Jr. asked Carlson if he would join him at the Fox News booth in the Fiserv Forum.

The outlet reported: “Carlson apparently stuck out to a number of Fox News employees — a number of staffers were clearly uncomfortable, according to one of the sources — but Carlson was warmly greeted by many of his former colleagues, including Hannity.”

Another insider pushed back on that account, claiming: “There was no ill will. Tucker was in the greenroom and then in the studio. A handful of people that were in there were walking up and talking to him.”