This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Popular talk-show host also reveals 'shock' at Trump tariffs

Popular talk show host Tucker Carlson has revealed that even though he knew President Donald Trump, his proposals for tariffs on the world jolted him, and he's also talked about the details of his departure from Fox News.

He now has his own company and his interviews with a wide range of personalities, posted on social media, are incredibly popular.

He was interviewed by the Daily Signal, which has posted two videos on YouTube.

In the first, Carlson commented on the tariffs, which Trump has used to try to bring the world's trade into balance for the United States, which long has allowed other countries access to its markets while paying often steep prices for having its products in other markets.

Carlson said Trump is wanting to negotiate those charges.

"I mean, the question is: Who needs the other more? Does the U.S. need China more or China need the U.S.? I can't answer that," Carlson explained to the Daily Signal.

Trump's tariffs went into effect earlier this month, and then the president granted a 90-day pause for most nations while negotiations were under way. The White House has said 75 nations had approached the U.S. about making deals, and some of those agreements could be announced soon.

At the same time, Trump raised tariffs on Chinese products to 125%, which the Communist regime promptly matched for U.S goods.

"The deal has been for the past 30 years: We'll buy your underpriced consumer goods; you buy our overpriced debt. And you know, in some ways that's worked great. In other ways, it hasn't worked at all," Carlson said.

He said the initial tariff announcement from Trump was a "shock."

But he confirmed there needs to be at least some "disengagement" from China.

"You have to be able to build a jet engine exclusively in the United States and not rely on supply chains 10,000 miles long or on countries that are hostile to you. I mean, that's crazy. It's just basic stuff. And we have the resources to do that," he said.

"I got fired from Fox for saying things they didn't like. … That's all right, you know. It's not my company. I wasn't one of those people like, 'You can't fire me.' It's like, of course you can fire me!"

He said his working relationship with the network was that its officials couldn't give him instructions, and he was getting good ratings.

"'If you don't like what I say, you can take me off the air, but you're not going to control my show, just fire me.' … And that seemed like that had always been our deal," he said.

He said he could have retired at that point, to pursue his passions for trout fishing, bird hunting and carpentry, but he loves "talking to people. I like learning – that sounds like B.S., but it's actually fully sincere. And I love that more than I love money … ."

After 30 years in cable news, Carlson said: "I liked everyone I worked for, including the people who fired me."