Fox News said on Friday that it had severed its relationship with former pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson amid speculation that he’s planning a 2016 presidential run, the Washington Post reported.
Carson is a major conservative activist and commentator, and he had joined the Fox News Channel as a contributor, frequently using his position to criticize President Obama.
A Fox News spokesperson told the Post that Carson understood the rationale behind the decision and that the two parties separated amicably.
Carson was reportedly preparing to air an hour-long self-promotional video “introducing himself to the American people,” ABC News reported. Fox’s decision to cut ties with Carson happened in much the same way as it had with former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown (R), who was a contributor for the channel before he launched a failed 2014 bid for a U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire.
Carson said last month, in an interview with Fusion that he was hesitant to run for President and was only considering it because of the support he’d received.
“No, I don’t want to be president. Why would any sane person want to do that?” Carson said. “I think I have to consider that, with so many clamoring for me to do it.”
