Tucker Carlson is “preparing for war” in the wake of Fox News’ surprise firing of him last month, according to a report published by Axios on Sunday.

Carlson, who was dumped by the network following his “white men fight” text message that reportedly set off a “crisis” at Fox, is not willing to shy away from the media world as his friend told Axios that the Fox host “wants his freedom.”

“They’re coming to him and saying: ‘Do you want me to hit Fox?’” said Carlson’s friend, referring to the ex-Fox News host’s “allies with big platforms.”

“He’s been saying: ‘No. I want to get this done quiet and clean.’ Now, we’re going from peacetime to Defcon 1. His team is preparing for war. He wants his freedom.”

A source told Axios that Carlson “knows where a lot of bodies are buried, and is ready to start drawing a map.”

The Axios report follows a story from The New York Times on Friday where the publication noted Carlson’s desire to make a TV return although he’d need Fox to “agree to a deal that would allow him to work elsewhere.”

Carlson’s contract with Fox is set to expire in January 2025, months after the conclusion of the 2024 presidential election.

Both Rumble and Newsmax have reached out to Carlson with offers that would pay more than Fox, the outlet noted.

“The idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous,” Bryan Freedman, a lawyer for Carlson, told Axios.

Aside from Carlson’s hopes to stick around in the media, he reportedly met with Twitter head Elon Musk to discuss “working together” although the details around the meeting remain unclear.

Fox has reportedly taken a hit in the ratings department following Carlson’s abrupt departure in the aftermath of Fox’s $787.5 million defamation lawsuit settlement with Dominion Voting Machines.

Carlson has yet to announce his next career steps. His latest tweet included a video where he addressed fans but, in the nearly two weeks since, Carlson hasn’t made another post.