Officials from the United States and Israel criticized Tucker Carlson after the podcaster said he was detained in an Israeli airport following an interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
The ex-Fox News host and vocal anti-Zionist flew to Israel for the sit-down with Huckabee after the two conservatives publicly traded barbs about American financial support for the Israeli government. Though Carlson and Huckabee reportedly had a positive, “emotional” exchange at the Ben Gurion Airport, Huckabee slammed Carlson over his detainment claim, calling it inaccurate.
“EVERYONE who comes in/out of Israel (every country for that matter) has passports checked & routinely asked security questions. Even ME going in/out with Diplomatic Passport & Diplomatic Visa,” Huckabee said.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also denied Carlson’s claim and blasted him as a “chickens***” and a “phony” on X.
The meeting between Carlson and Huckabee occurred inside the airport near Tel Aviv. Carlson told the Daily Mail and the New York Post that he was detained and called it “bizarre.”
“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,” Carlson told the outlets.
“Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated,” the Israeli Airports Authority said in a statement challenging Carlson’s version of events.
“Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers. The conversation took place in a separate room within the VIP lounge solely to protect their privacy and to avoid conducting such a discussion in public. No unusual incident occurred, and the Israel Airports Authority firmly rejects any other claims.”
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The incident feeds into the deepening rift within the GOP on the issue of American support for Israel.
Carlson and Huckabee have had several spats on social media over the past year. With tensions beginning during Carlson’s interview with antisemite Nick Fuentes, in which Carlson listed Huckabee as a Christian Zionist in America, saying he dislikes them “more than anybody.”