Tucker Carlson’s Blistering Takedown of Jennifer Griffin — Has He Exposed the “Deepest of the Deep State” Inside Fox News?

Something has snapped — and Tucker Carlson isn’t holding back anymore.

In a fiery and unfiltered June 23, 2025, podcast episode, the former Fox News primetime star detonated a verbal bombshell that has sent shockwaves from Manhattan’s media towers to Washington’s power corridors. His target? Not a Democratic lawmaker, not a liberal pundit — but one of Fox News’s own: Pentagon correspondent Jennifer Griffin.

And this wasn’t just a polite disagreement over reporting styles. Carlson’s words were so sharp, so personal, and so politically loaded that they’ve ripped the lid off a bitter media feud that insiders say has been simmering for years.

The Accusation That Lit the Match

Speaking with guest and former Fox host Clayton Morris, Carlson accused Griffin of being far more than just “biased.”

“Jen Griffin,” Carlson began, “is a shill for the deepest of the deep states. Very liberal. A true Trump hater.”

For those unfamiliar, the “deep state” label in conservative circles refers to entrenched bureaucrats and officials — often in the intelligence or defense communities — accused of working to undermine elected leaders, particularly Donald Trump. But Carlson didn’t stop at vague generalities.

“She’s like a parody of the deep state media,” he continued. “Her internal memos were full of angry screeds… reading Politico Playbook, Mother Jones, all the left-wing nonsense. And she used her platform to mislead Fox’s viewers.”

A Years-Long Frustration

Carlson revealed that his issues with Griffin weren’t new. “I tried not to complain about other people at Fox because I don’t like office politics,” he admitted. “But Jen Griffin was discrediting the channel. She’s a liar, and very liberal. It was so obvious.”

What stunned listeners most was his claim that Griffin was essentially untouchable inside the network. “I asked an executive, ‘What are we doing with Jennifer Griffin? She misleads our viewers and hates Trump.’ And I was told, ‘You can’t touch Jennifer.’ I don’t know why.”

Why This Hits So Hard for Conservatives

Carlson’s takedown taps into a deep vein of suspicion among MAGA-aligned viewers who have increasingly questioned Fox News’s editorial direction. To them, the idea that a Pentagon correspondent with alleged anti-Trump leanings could be protected by top brass isn’t just frustrating — it’s confirmation of a betrayal.

“This is exactly what many of us have been warning about,” one conservative media watcher told us. “Fox still has good people, but it also has these entrenched insiders who use the brand to push narratives that don’t serve the audience.”

The Fallout Begins

It didn’t take long for the backlash — and counter-backlash — to erupt.

On June 26, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly criticized Griffin, calling her “the worst” and accusing her of intentionally misrepresenting President Biden’s remarks about potential airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Griffin’s defenders quickly circled the wagons. Fox News stalwart Brit Hume praised her “professionalism, knowledge, and experience at the Pentagon,” calling the attacks “unfair.”

To Carlson’s supporters, Hume’s statement was just more proof of an “establishment club” inside Fox that protects its own — regardless of political bias or impact on viewers.

Deep State or Deep Grudge?

The question now is whether Carlson’s broadside was a personal vendetta or a genuine red flag about infiltration inside conservative media.

Carlson framed Griffin not just as a political opponent, but as an active player in a larger effort to undermine the Trump movement from within. “Her reporting wasn’t just wrong,” he argued. “It was designed to shape public perception in a way that served the permanent Washington class.”

That accusation — that a Fox Pentagon correspondent acted as an information arm for anti-Trump forces — is explosive, even in today’s polarized media climate.

Why Jennifer Griffin Matters

Griffin is no minor figure at Fox. As Pentagon correspondent, she’s been a key bridge between the network’s news division and its opinion shows. Her role gives her direct access to military officials, intelligence briefings, and defense policy leaks — the kind of material that shapes how conservative audiences view America’s role in the world.

Carlson’s claim is essentially that this gatekeeping role has been weaponized — not to inform Fox’s audience, but to subtly undermine it.

A Bigger Problem for Fox News?

If Carlson’s charges are accurate, Griffin may be just one example of a larger structural issue at Fox: an internal divide between its populist commentators and its old-guard news division.

“This is what happens when you have a split personality as a network,” one former Fox producer told us. “You’ve got the primetime hosts feeding the base what they want, and a news division that’s still playing ball with the D.C. establishment. It’s oil and water.”

The Risk for Carlson

Carlson, no stranger to controversy, has now set himself up as a direct challenger to Fox News’s internal hierarchy — something that could further strain his already severed ties with the network.

Since leaving Fox, Carlson has built a large independent audience, but his decision to name names — and to frame Griffin as a symbol of “deep state” infiltration — raises the stakes dramatically.

“This isn’t just criticism of coverage,” one media analyst noted. “This is an accusation that goes to the core of loyalty, trust, and identity for Fox’s audience.”

The Unanswered Questions

Carlson’s claims raise multiple questions Fox News has yet to answer:

Why, if his account is true, was Griffin considered “untouchable”?

Who decides which correspondents get protected — and why?

Are there others inside Fox playing a similar role to what Carlson alleges of Griffin?

Without answers, the speculation will only grow. And in today’s media environment, speculation is often as damaging as proof.

The Battle for the Narrative

The controversy speaks to a broader reality: the battle for the narrative isn’t just happening between left and right. It’s happening inside media organizations that claim to serve one side.

Carlson’s attack has peeled back a layer of Fox’s polished surface, revealing — if only for a moment — the messy, factionalized politics underneath.

Whether you see his remarks as a personal vendetta or a whistleblower’s warning, the impact is the same: the next time Jennifer Griffin reports from the Pentagon, millions will be watching with new skepticism.

Bottom Line:

Tucker Carlson’s no-holds-barred critique of Jennifer Griffin has ignited a firestorm that’s far bigger than one on-air feud. It’s about trust, loyalty, and the unsettling possibility that even “friendly” media outlets harbor voices working against their own audience’s interests.

For Fox News, the question now is whether this is an isolated PR headache — or the beginning of a deeper reckoning about who’s really shaping the story conservatives see.