Fox News host Tucker Carlson was reportedly offered the White House press secretary job, according to a new book by journalist Michael Wolff.

He reportedly turned it down.

Wolff's book has stirred controversy over its claims and their accuracy.



Fox News host Tucker Carlson was reportedly offered the White House press secretary job.

In an excerpt of his upcoming book "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," journalist Michael Wolff reported that several current Fox News and Fox Business network personalities including Laura Ingraham, Maria Bartiromo, and regular guest Ann Coulter were considered for the job.

Wolff also wrote that Carlson was offered the job, which eventually went to Sean Spicer, but turned it down.

Though not as brazenly outspoken and supportive as other Fox News hosts like Sean Hannity, Carlson has repeatedly defended the president by criticizing journalists and the left. He's been an outspoken opponent of embarrassing leaks about the administration, and deflected criticism of the administration's positions on immigration and the Russia investigation.

For its part, Wolff's book stirred controversy, primarily over the veracity of its contents.

The book — written after Wolff garnered months of high-level, exclusive access to the administration — has sparked infighting between Trump and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who is quoted repeatedly in the book trashing Trump family members including Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump.

Still, a number of reporters and journalists have cautioned against taking all of Wolff's claims at face value, arguing he has a history of appearing to embellish claims in past works.

For its part, many Republicans, including Trump and the Republican National Committee, have blasted the book.

The president's legal team sent a cease and desist letter to Wolff and his publisher, saying the book contained libelous claims about Trump.

Fox News did not immediately return Business Insider's request for comment.