Explosive Interview Fallout: Tucker Carlson’s Dramatic Detention in Israel Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

Tucker Carlson, the influential conservative podcaster, recently recounted an unsettling experience in Israel where he and his team were reportedly detained on Wednesday. This incident followed an interview with Donald Trump’s former ambassador to Israel, sparking intrigue and controversy.

Carlson, well-known for his critical stance on Israel’s military actions in Gaza, had traveled to Tel Aviv to engage in a conversation with Mike Huckabee. The former Fox News host accepted Huckabee’s challenge to discuss the contentious treatment of Christians in the country, following a heated online exchange.

Despite the intention of the visit, Carlson’s trip took an unexpected turn. Critics and supporters of Israel alike criticized him for allegedly not leaving the airport during his short stay. In response to these accusations, Carlson provided an exclusive statement to the Daily Mail, revealing a different side to the story.

According to Carlson, shortly after the interview concluded, Israeli authorities confiscated his passport and took his executive producer away for questioning. This development adds another layer to the ongoing debate surrounding his critique of Israel and its policies.

Carlson told the Daily Mail exclusively that shortly after the interview, Israeli officials confiscated his passport and hauled off his executive producer to an interrogation room. 

‘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 Daily Mail. 

‘It was bizarre. We’re now out of the country.’ 

Prior to the interview, Carlson posted a photo on X of himself and his business partner, Neil Patel, in front of Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday with the caption: ‘Greetings from Israel.’

Tucker Carlson says he and his staff were detained at Ben Gurion airport and interrogated by Israeli officials on Wednesday following an interview with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee

Carlson frequently criticizes Israel for its military actions in Gaza and treatment of Christians

Huckabee, who has known Carlson for over three decades and previously worked with him at Fox News, invited Carlson to Israel for a discussion over their differences

‘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,’ taunted David Friedman, the former US ambassador to Israel during Trump’s first term.

Two sources familiar with the matter, however, told the Daily Mail that the Israeli government initially did not want to allow Carlson into the country, prompting a delicate negotiation involving the State Department.

In the end, the Israeli government decided to not bar Carlson from entering the country in order to avoid a ‘diplomatic incident,’ according to a Channel 13 report.

A spokesperson for the US embassy in Israel denied that Carlson was detained and claimed he ‘received the same passport control questions that countless visitors to Israel including Ambassador Huckabee and other diplomats receive as part of normal entrance and exit from Israel.’

‘It is not accurate that Israel only was going to let Tucker into the country for the interview,’ the spokesperson added. ‘The only engagement the Embassy had with Israel about his visit was to coordinate his private plane landing as part of facilitating a seamless visit. It was Tucker who chose to only come into the country for a few hours and depart. And Tucker received the same positive treatment of any visitors to Israel.’

The Daily Mail has contacted the White House and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office for comment. 

Carlson accused Huckabee last week on his YouTube show of not ensuring proper protections for Christians in Israel. 

Huckabee, who has known Carlson for over three decades and previously worked with him at Fox News, responded by inviting him to Israel for a discussion.

‘Instead of talking about me, why don’t you come talk to me?’ Huckabee wrote on X. Carlson replied by welcoming the invitation before noting that they were working on setting up the interview. 

Israel’s popularity remains at an all-time low in the GOP among young Republican voters and Trump supporters. 

The Carlson-Huckabee event was reportedly an attempt by the Trump administration to prevent debates surrounding Israel from breaking the GOP’s conservative coalition ahead of the midterms. 

Carlson is a longtime supporter of Trump and ally of Vice President JD Vance

Carlson and his business partner Neil Patel at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday

Trump urged Carlson and others within the GOP to ease off internal fights with Republicans over Israel, according to former Fox News anchor Melissa Francis. 

‘Everybody’s looking for a way to turn down the temperature,’ Francis told the  Jerusalem Post. ‘President Trump is telling everyone, including Tucker, “Let’s take this down.”‘

Carlson is a longtime ally of Vice President JD Vance and speaks with Trump on a range of issues, including foreign policy. 

Last month, Carlson visited the White House twice and met with Trump in the Oval Office on at least one known occasion.