Tucker Carlson and Trump text each other regularly and their relationship is closer than ever, even after the now-ousted host was caught privately bashing the former president: NYT

• Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson often text each other and are closer than ever, NYT reported.
• The two patched up after Carlson was revealed to have privately slammed Trump in 2021, per NYT.

Tucker Carlson is now closer than ever to former President Donald Trump, even after the now-ousted anchor was revealed to be privately bashing Trump in text messages.

Carlson, who ran the show "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on Fox News but exited the network on Monday, mended his relationship with Trump in the weeks after the texts were released, The New York Times reported.

The private messages surfaced in a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox. The texts showed Carlson saying he "truly can't wait" for the day Trump fades from media attention.

"I hate him passionately," Carlson wrote.

Trump felt hurt by the revelations in the text messages and called Carlson to hash things out, The Times reported, citing two people close to the former president.

The pair have since been talking and texting each other regularly, and their relationship appears closer "than at any time before," the outlet wrote.

Trump's 2024 presidential team was also worried last year that Carlson — who has staunchly supported Trump in the past — would endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for a White House bid, The Times reported.

But as Carlson and Trump grew closer, Trump's aides grew more confident they'd retain the right-wing host's backing, according to the outlet.

More recently, Carlson aired an hour-long interview with Trump on April 12. During the interview, the disdain for Trump that Carlson displayed in his texts was nowhere to be seen.

"For a man caricatured as an extremist, we think you'll find what he has to say moderate, sensible, and wise," he told viewers of Trump.

On his part, Trump recently posted about his relationship with Carlson on Truth Social. "He doesn't hate me, or at least not anymore!" the former president wrote on March 13.

He also voiced his support for Carlson when news broke that the latter was leaving Fox News.

"Well, I'm shocked, I'm surprised. He's a very good person and a very good man," Trump told Newsmax host Greg Kelly on Monday, praising Carlson for his TV ratings.

"But I think Tucker's been terrific," Trump said. "Especially over the last year or so, he's been terrific to me."

The former president added that he didn't know why Carlson left the network or whether he'd been fired or chose to leave.

When Fox News announced on Monday that it was parting ways with Carlson, the host only knew about the statement 10 minutes before it was released, per The Wall Street Journal and The Times.

Representatives for Carlson and Trump did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.