Tucker Carlson, former Fox News host, has shared a personal story involving a supernatural encounter. In a clip from Christianities?, an upcoming documentary by John Heers of the First Things Foundation, Carlson recounts a harrowing experience that he claims left him physically scarred—a claim that has stirred considerable interest and debate. According to Carlson, he was “physically mauled” by what he describes as a "demon" while he was sleeping next to his wife and four dogs.

Carlson recalls the night vividly. He awoke abruptly, struggling to breathe and feeling a sensation of suffocation. Confused and in pain, he went to examine himself in the bathroom mirror and found four deep claw marks beneath each arm and one on his shoulder, which were bleeding. Remarkably, neither his wife nor the dogs, who are typically light sleepers, woke up during the incident. Carlson mentioned that the nature of the claw marks made self-infliction impossible, as he sleeps on his side, has short nails, and the marks were far apart and not consistent with his own hand shape. Even more eerie, he says that these claw marks, now scars, remain visible over a year and a half later.

The morning after, Carlson recalls waking up to find his sheets soaked in blood, affirming to him that the experience was real and not merely a dream. In the aftermath, Carlson turned to his assistant, an evangelical Christian, seeking insight. Her response was direct and unsettling: “That happens, people are attacked in their bed by demons.” Carlson’s experience had a profound effect on him; it triggered an “intense desire to read the Bible,” which he describes as a life-changing journey. This newfound relationship with scripture has become, in Carlson’s words, a “transformative experience,” suggesting a profound spiritual shift following the encounter.

Heers, intrigued by the encounter’s implications, asked Carlson whether he thought God permitted the demon’s attack. Carlson, however, remains uncertain. He admits that he doesn’t fully understand what happened, and he’s indifferent to whether others believe him. Some online theories suggest an alternative explanation for Carlson’s experience, proposing that one of Carlson’s four dogs may have inadvertently scratched him in his sleep. Carlson, however, appears convinced of the supernatural nature of the encounter and maintains that the claw marks do not match his own hands, nor does he think his dogs were involved. Although he hasn’t fully come to terms with what happened, Carlson says the experience has reshaped his perspective, deepening his spiritual curiosity and engagement.