Tucker Carlson ‘Detained’ in Israel Following His Interview with Mike Huckabee

Tucker Carlson says he and his production team were briefly held by Israeli airport authorities this week following a scheduled interview with U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, raising new questions about Israel’s treatment of American journalists and the Biden-era policies still lingering inside the region’s security apparatus.

Carlson, now one of the most influential conservative commentators in the country, told the Daily Mail that airport officers took his passport and “hauled” his executive producer into a separate room moments before the team attempted to depart. He said the officials questioned them about what was discussed in the interview with Huckabee.

“It was bizarre,” Carlson said. “They took our passports, asked about the interview, and didn’t explain anything. We’re out of the country now.”

The incident occurred just hours after Carlson sat down with Huckabee, who was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Israel by President Trump at the start of his second term. The two discussed rising concerns about the safety of Christian communities in Jerusalem and the West Bank, an issue Carlson has been covering extensively.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy pushed back on Carlson’s account, saying he was not “detained” and that he simply underwent the “same passport control questions countless visitors to Israel, including Ambassador Huckabee, routinely receive.”

But sources familiar with the matter say Israeli officials had privately voiced concern about Carlson’s entry into the country due to his reporting on Christian persecution in the region. According to those sources, discussions took place between U.S. and Israeli officials before Carlson was cleared to enter on a private aircraft for a short visit.

The embassy insisted the trip was Carlson’s choice. “It was Tucker who chose to come into the country for only a few hours,” the spokesperson said. “He received the same positive treatment as any visitor.”

Carlson says that version leaves out critical context.

“When a journalist is questioned about his interview topics by a foreign government, Americans deserve to know why,” he said. “That’s not routine.”

The dust-up followed a public exchange between Carlson and Huckabee earlier this month. Carlson released a video questioning how Christians in the Holy Land are treated by the Israeli government, sparking strong reactions from viewers — and from Huckabee himself.

“Instead of talking about me, why don’t you come talk to me?” Huckabee wrote on X. “If we’re going to debate the facts, let’s do it honestly and openly.”

Huckabee later addressed the criticism during remarks at a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem.

“We do not change the narrative by being silent in the face of misinformation,” Huckabee said. “Silence is agreement. It’s why some of the most horrific events in history occurred.”

Carlson accepted the invitation and traveled to Israel for the interview — then found himself being questioned by security shortly after.

Republican lawmakers are already signaling interest in the incident, noting that under President Trump, the United States has emphasized transparency and strong protections for American journalists abroad, particularly in allied nations.

“This is the kind of thing we expect from adversaries, not allies,” one senior GOP foreign policy aide told Fox News. “If Israel questioned Tucker Carlson about his reporting, Congress will want answers.”

Carlson says he plans to continue coverage of the region and the treatment of religious minorities.

“You can pressure a lot of people,” he said. “But we’re not going to stop reporting.”