Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson dropped a surprise video on Twitter Wednesday evening, about an hour before his former program began, that got more views than the network did that night.
The video was Carlson's first time speaking out since being let go Monday from Fox News, where he was the network's most-watched host.
While the video has gone on to receive 21.8 million views, approximately 1.8 million people viewed it within the hour it was posted, according to the Washington Examiner.
Meantime, Fox News Tonight only pulled in 1.3 million viewers on Wednesday night with Brian Kilmeade in Carlson's place, according to cable news ratings.
While Carlson didn't directly address his departure from Fox in his video, the 53-year-old criticized cable news for ignoring the "undeniably big topics" which will "define our future," such as "war, civil liberties, emerging science, demographic change, corporate power, natural resources," and claimed that "debates like that are not permitted in American media."
Carlson went on to say the results leave the United States as "a one party state" which is "a depressing realization."
"Our current orthodoxies won't last. They're brain dead. Nobody actually believes them. Hardly anyone's life is improved by them. This moment is too inherently ridiculous to continue, and so it won't," he said.
Carlson said the "people in charge" know this, which is why they're "hysterical and aggressive," "afraid," and "resorting to force."
"When honest people say what's true, calmly and without embarrassment, they become powerful. At the same time, the liars who've been trying to silence them shrink and they become weaker," he continued. "That's the iron law of the universe. True things prevail."
Carlson wrapped up his video by saying you can still find "Americans saying true things" even if "there aren't many places left."
"There are some, and that's enough. As long as you can hear the words, there is hope," he said. "See you soon."
Fox News announced on Monday that effective immediately, Carlson was no longer with the company following a mutual decision to part ways.
"Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways," a statement from the network said, without offering any further explanation. "We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor."
After the network's announcement about Carlson's exit, Fox saw its stock drop more than 5%, "losing $1 billion in market capitalization," per the Examiner.
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