Carlson did not definitively state any conclusions about Reade’s motivations, but ended with this message to his viewers:

“As we learned so bitterly during the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, political imperatives sometimes influence claims like this. That does not mean that Tara Reade is some kind of liar or a devious partisan. We don’t know that is true and we are not saying it now, to be clear. We are not asserting that. But the timing does mean — and this is our duty — that we ought to keep our guard up as this story progresses. Those of us who cover it going forward should be very wary of being used. Again, this is a presidential year. Weigh everything against the facts, take nothing for granted. The one thing you can be certain of this year is you are being lied to.”