From the Daily Mail: Conservative podcasting titan Tucker Carlson says he and his staff were detained in Israel on Wednesday following an interview with Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump’s current ambassador to the country.
The former Fox News host flew into Tel Aviv on Wednesday for a sit-down interview with Huckabee, who challenged Carlson to speak to him directly following an online spat about Israel’s treatment of Christians.
Carlson, who frequently criticizes Israel for its military actions in Gaza and treatment of Christians, took Huckabee up on his offer.
But as critics and pro-Israel activists began piling on Carlson for purportedly not leaving the airport during his brief visit, Carlson revealed that he was met with hostility in the Middle Eastern country.
Carlson reportedly complained that after the interview had concluded at the airport, Israeli officials confiscated his passport and hauled off his executive producer to an interrogation room.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Carlson wrote, “Men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about… It was bizarre. We’re now out of the country.”
The Jerusalem Post separately reported:
Conservative media personality Tucker Carlson visited Israel briefly on Wednesday for a filmed sit-down with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, focused on claims about the treatment of Christians in Israel and the wider region, sources told The Jerusalem Post.
According to the sources, Carlson conducted the conversation inside Ben Gurion Airport and did not travel beyond the airport complex. He departed Israel at around 3 p.m., ending a trip that lasted only a few hours.
Earlier on Wednesday, prior to meeting with Huckabee, Carlson posted a photo of himself and his business partner Neil Patel standing outside the airport.
Greetings from Israel. pic.twitter.com/1uBWvqBNST
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 18, 2026
On February 4, Huckabee had fired back at a video Carlson posted, claiming Israel is not friendly to Christians.
“Hey @TuckerCarlson instead of talking ABOUT me, why don’t you come talk TO me? You seem to be generating a lot of heat about the Middle East. Why be afraid of the light?” Huckabee challenged.
Hey @TuckerCarlson instead of talking ABOUT me, why don’t you come talk TO me? You seem to be generating a lot of heat about the Middle East. Why be afraid of the light? https://t.co/iQZBEI72m6
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 5, 2026
Carlson accepted, and Huckabee promised to set up the meeting.
Look forward to the conversation @TuckerCarlson . Thanks for responding. We are talking to your team to get it set up. https://t.co/rP5da6HqDr
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 5, 2026
The exact details of the Carlson’s allegations about being “detained” are unclear.
David Friedman, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel from 2017 – 2021, commented on Carlson’s photo:
“That’s the walkway to the private jet terminal for VIP entry. After the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, the City of David, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Garden of Gethsemene, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Yad Vashem, the Knesset and about 2 million other places, this walkway is an important site (but only if you fly on private jets). Too bad Tucker stayed in the airport in the face of so many invitations to see so many wonderful places. A huge and obviously intentional missed opportunity.”
That’s the walkway to the private jet terminal for VIP entry. After the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, the City of David, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Garden of Gethsemene, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Yad Vashem, the Knesset and about 2 million… https://t.co/1ePbEj3J0Y
— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) February 18, 2026
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.) wrote:
Community notes remain undefeated: “Important context: While technically in Israel, Carlson was only in the country in a transit capacity for a few hours to conduct an interview with Ambassador Huckabee and never left the airport. He also refused an invitation to visit the Christian community in Israel.”
Refused to meet with Christian community…? Maybe that demon he talked about did actually possess him 🤔
Community notes remain undefeated:
“Important context: While technically in Israel, Carlson was only in the country in a transit capacity for a few hours to conduct an interview with Ambassador Huckabee and never left the airport. He also refused an invitation to visit the… https://t.co/ZOuqlade8h
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) February 18, 2026
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) fumed, “American citizen and journalist Tucker Carlson detained in Israel after interviewing our U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee. We won’t tolerate this. You just made it worse.”
American citizen and journalist Tucker Carlson detained in Israel after interviewing our U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
We won’t tolerate this.
You just made it worse. pic.twitter.com/bx4hvSYvEa— Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@FmrRepMTG) February 18, 2026
However, David Reaboi pushed back, writing, “No, he was not “detained”—they were interviewed, like they do to me or you or anyone else. They take your passports and return them to you, like they do anywhere else. On Carlson’s prior trips to Israel, they did the same. This has been the procedure since the 1970s, when Tucker’s new friends who taught the world how to hijack planes. Drama queen scumbag.”
Look at this piece of garbage. No, he was not “detained”—they were interviewed, like they do to me or you or anyone else. They take your passports and return them to you, like they do anywhere else. On Carlson’s prior trips to Israel, they did the same. This has been the… pic.twitter.com/mzCIp5eBD2
— David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) February 18, 2026
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