Tucker Carlson Claims Detention In Israel Sparks Diplomatic Dispute

It was a scene that played out with all the drama and ambiguity of a political thriller: on February 18, 2026, former Fox News host and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson claimed he was detained by Israeli authorities at Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, following an interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. The incident, which Carlson described as “bizarre,” has since sparked a heated debate about diplomatic protocol, press freedom, and the ever-complicated relationship between the United States and Israel. According to the Daily Mail, Carlson recounted that “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 and his team, including business partner Neil Patel, had posted on X earlier that day, confirming their presence in Israel ahead of the high-profile interview. But after the encounter at the airport, Carlson said, “We’re now out of the country.” The story quickly gained traction, with figures across the American and Israeli political landscapes weighing in. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who served during President Donald Trump’s first term, chimed in on X: “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.” Friedman’s remarks echoed reports that Carlson had not left the airport, despite being invited to explore more of Israel. Two sources told the Daily Mail that the Israeli government initially did not want Carlson to enter the country. However, he was ultimately allowed in so as not to spark a “diplomatic incident.” These sources added a layer of intrigue to an already complex narrative, suggesting behind-the-scenes negotiations and diplomatic sensitivities at play. Yet, Israeli and U.S. officials have pushed back firmly against Carlson’s version of events. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Israel told the Daily Mail, “It is not accurate that Israel only was going to let Tucker into the country for the interview. 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.” Israel’s foreign ministry, in a statement shared by Channel 14 reporter Libby Blanca Alon and reposted by Mike Huckabee, was even more direct: “Contrary to the reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated. 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.” Mike Huckabee himself, who now serves as U.S. Ambassador to Israel and is a former Fox News colleague of Carlson, attempted to downplay the incident. On X, Huckabee wrote, “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’s comments were echoed by the U.S. embassy, which insisted that Carlson had received the same treatment as “countless visitors to Israel including Ambassador Huckabee and other diplomats.” The timing of the incident is notable, coming as Carlson has become one of the most prominent conservative critics of Israel, particularly over the war in Gaza and broader U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. In the months leading up to his visit, Carlson had repeatedly claimed there was widespread mistreatment of Christians in Israel, a topic he discussed in a recent episode of The Tucker Carlson Show. As of December, Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported that there were more than 180,000 Christians living in the country, a figure often cited in debates about religious freedom and minority rights in the region. The meeting between Carlson and Huckabee was itself the result of a public challenge. Huckabee had previously posted on X, “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?” Carlson accepted, leading to the now-controversial trip to Tel Aviv. The incident has also exposed rifts within the American conservative movement. Some, like former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, have used the episode to criticize Israel’s treatment of American journalists. Greene wrote on X, “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.” Others, including Huckabee and Friedman, have portrayed the episode as a misunderstanding or even a missed opportunity for dialogue and bridge-building. Meanwhile, the Israeli government has sought to portray the affair as business as usual. The foreign ministry’s statement emphasized that “no unusual incident occurred,” and that Carlson’s questioning was simply part of standard security procedures. The U.S. State Department echoed this, stating that its only involvement was to coordinate Carlson’s private plane landing and that he “received the same positive treatment of any visitors to Israel.” For his part, Carlson remains adamant that the experience was out of the ordinary. “It was bizarre,” he told the Daily Mail. “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.” At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental question about what constitutes routine security and what crosses the line into harassment or intimidation—especially when high-profile media figures and sensitive diplomatic issues are involved. Israel, like many countries, is known for its stringent airport security, and even diplomats are not immune from questioning, as Huckabee himself noted. Yet, the optics of detaining a well-known American journalist—even briefly—are fraught, particularly at a time when relations between the U.S. and Israel are under close scrutiny. The airing date of Carlson’s interview with Huckabee remains unclear, but the controversy has already ensured that it will be watched closely by audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. As the dust settles, the incident stands as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between national security, diplomatic relations, and the freedom of the press—a balance that, in this case, has proven anything but routine.