Tucker Carlson reportedly considered undergoing an exorcism approximately two years ago, following an alleged encounter with a demon. Orthodox Christian writer Rod Dreher shared this detail during a recent appearance on The Jeremy Boreing Show, recounting that Carlson reached out to him for assistance.
Dreher, who documented Carlson's account for a Christianity documentary released in 2025, stated that Carlson sought his expertise in demonology. "And I said, wow, that if this is this really happened to you, you need to talk to an exorcist," Dreher told Boreing. Dreher then connected Carlson with an exorcist and a second individual to aid in the process.
However, Carlson ultimately declined the exorcism, citing his Protestant background and describing the practice as "witchcraft." Dreher recalled offering to find a Protestant deliverance minister, but Carlson refused, stating he would rely on "just him and the Bible."
The initial account of the alleged encounter surfaced in a 2024 interview for Dreher's documentary, where Carlson, an Episcopalian, described waking up in 2023 feeling as though he was being "physically mauled" by "a demon or by something unseen." He recounted waking with four bleeding claw marks on either side of his chest and shoulder, which he found inexplicable.
Carlson later reiterated the story to Megyn Kelly in November 2025, describing a similar experience where he felt "clawed and bloodied" by a "demon" during the night. He described a sudden inability to breathe, intense pain, and discovering the claw marks, which he said did not fit his fingers. Following the experience, Carlson reported having a strong desire to read the Bible. He has maintained that he is not fabricating the story, despite the widespread mockery it has generated.
Dreher and Carlson were reportedly friends until Carlson's October 2025 interview with Nick Fuentes, a meeting Dreher cited as a reason for his decision to distance himself due to rising antisemitism within the Christian right.