Tucker Carlson says he was physically assaulted in his sleep—by a supernatural force.

During a sit-down interview with Megyn Kelly last Thursday, the former Fox News host opened up about an intense experience on Feb. 20, 2023, that he now believes was a demonic attack tied to a spiritual encounter the previous day, as The Christian Post reports.

Carlson described the experience in detail, alleging that he woke up gasping for air, with bleeding claw marks on each side of his torso, following what he described as a moment of profound empathy and divine peace.

Carlson Connects Spiritual Awakening to Unseen Assault

The moment that seemed to trigger it all took place the day before, when Carlson said he suddenly felt empathy toward someone he admitted he "truly hate[d]." He called the feeling “profound and beautiful,” and credited the experience to God, stating it didn’t come naturally to him as a person.

He was so moved by what he felt that he discussed it extensively with his brother, amazed at the emotional clarity and understanding he’d gained. But what followed, Carlson claims, was immediate and terrifying retaliation—this time not emotional, but physical.

He told Kelly that he awoke the next morning in pain and disoriented, believing he was dying. “I couldn’t breathe,” he recalled. “So I get up, I stand in the doorway of our bedroom, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m dying.’”

Claims of Claw Marks and Bloodied Sheets

According to Carlson, he discovered inexplicable wounds under his arms and on his chest. “I had this horrible pain underneath my arms, like on the side of my chest,” he said, adding that there were bleeding claw marks on both sides of his ribs.

The damage was enough to stain his bedsheets with blood, which only reinforced his certainty that this wasn’t a mere nightmare or sleep disorder. If it was, he said, it was like none he had ever experienced.

As wild as the story sounds, Carlson doubled down in a 2024 interview with The Christian Post, stating, “Ephesians 6 is real.” He referenced the famous biblical passage that warns against unseen spiritual enemies, saying that such experiences often follow his encounters with what he believes is God's presence.

Public Reaction Splits Allies and Critics

Unsurprisingly, public reaction to Carlson’s admission was swift and divisive. Critics pounced. Dinesh D’Souza, himself a stalwart conservative commentator, dismissed the story outright, suggesting the host might have suffered a mental break instead of a spiritual attack.

“Maybe a demon really attacked him, in which case WHERE’S THE DEMON NOW? Or maybe there was no demon, and Tucker had a PSYCHOTIC episode,” D’Souza posted on X. He even mocked Carlson with an AI-generated image of him being attacked by a demon.

Radio personality Mark Levin, never one to mince words, dismissed the ordeal with equal skepticism. He sarcastically suggested Carlson consult his four dogs about the supposed attack and levied harsh words over Carlson's recent choice of political interview subjects.

Supporters Cite Integrity and Candor

But Carlson didn’t only receive mockery. Author Rod Dreher, who has had heated differences with Carlson in recent months, came to his defense. Dreher pointed out that Carlson told him the same story a full year before going public, saying it added credibility to the claim.

“That doesn’t prove it, but hard to see how he benefits from speaking publicly of it, given that many are mocking him,” Dreher wrote on X. That sentiment was echoed by filmmaker John Heers, who originally recorded Carlson’s account and offered public support.

Heers criticized skeptics for being "uncharitable people" and praised Carlson for trying to explore the spiritual dimension of life. According to Heers, questioning spiritual experiences just because they don’t align with modernist materialism says more about the critics than the story.

“I’m Not Embarrassed,” Carlson Says

For his part, Carlson remains unshaken. “I’m not embarrassed at all, and I don’t care if I’m mocked,” he told Kelly. “I don’t get anything out of making this up, and I’m not making it up.”

He insists this isn’t an isolated episode but part of a larger pattern. “I’ve had a couple of other experiences—not that crazy—but where you really feel God’s presence,” he said, adding that those moments are often followed by inexplicable spiritual backlash.

“Love for other people… doesn’t come naturally to me,” Carlson admitted. But he knows when God is acting through him, he says—and when something darker seems to push back afterward.