Tucker Carlson, the former CNN and Fox News host, has claimed that he was physically attacked by a “demon” in his own bed, an assault he says left him with visible scars and deeply altered his perspective on spirituality.

Carlson discussed the alleged encounter in a preview of the upcoming documentary Christianities?, where he recounts his harrowing experience to interviewer John Heers from the non-profit First Things Foundation.

During the conversation, Heers asked Carlson if he believed “the presence of evil” was making people more curious about goodness. Carlson responded, “That’s what happened to me. I had a direct experience with it.” He then went on to describe an unsettling night that he says left him disoriented and fearing for his life.

According to Carlson, the assault occurred while he was asleep beside his wife and their four dogs. “I got attacked while I was asleep… mauled, physically mauled,” he stated.

Though he remains uncertain about the exact nature of his assailant, Carlson claims it was a “demon” or some “unseen force” that left “claw marks” on his body. “I woke up, and I couldn’t breathe; I thought I was going to suffocate,” Carlson recalled, describing how the pain and panic jolted him out of bed.

After stepping outside in confusion and realizing his wife and dogs hadn’t stirred—despite typically being light sleepers—Carlson says he returned to the bathroom where he found himself bleeding from scratches on his ribcage and shoulder. He recalls examining his body, saying, “I had four claw marks on either side, underneath my arms and on my left shoulder, and they were bleeding.”

The incident, which Carlson describes as “transformative,” led him to confide in an assistant, who is an evangelical Christian. The assistant suggested that such encounters aren’t uncommon among believers and described the phenomenon as a “demonic attack.” Carlson noted that this experience profoundly changed him, prompting an intense desire to delve into the Bible and explore Christian teachings.

Carlson, who now lives in a remote part of Maine, did not specify where the attack took place. The former news anchor’s religious experience follows his high-profile departure from Fox News, a move that came after the network’s $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over the 2020 election coverage.

Now actively supporting Donald Trump on the campaign trail, Carlson recently addressed a Georgia rally, likening Trump’s potential return to the White House to a “father coming home” to discipline wayward children. In his speech, Carlson said, “He’s not vengeful. He loves his children… they’re disobedient, but he loves them. They live in his house. But he’s very disappointed in their behavior.”

Carlson’s address to the crowd continued with a colorful analogy, stating, “When Dad gets home… you’ve been a bad little girl, and you’re getting a vigorous spanking right now.” Carlson’s outspoken support for Trump and his claims of a demonic encounter highlight his renewed conviction and belief in both spiritual and political realms.