US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee is refuting claims made by media personality Tucker Carlson regarding his treatment at Ben-Gurion Airport after conducting an interview there.
Carlson, a former Fox News host known for his criticism of Israel, conducted an interview with Ambassador Huckabee at the airport’s VIP terminal. According to sources who spoke with The Jerusalem Post, their discussion centered on how Christians are treated throughout Israel and the broader Middle East region.
After the meeting, Carlson alleged mistreatment by Israeli security. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he stated: “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.”
However, both the US Embassy and Ambassador Huckabee are challenging this version of events. An embassy representative told the Daily Mail: “It is not accurate that Israel was only going to let Tucker into the country for the interview.”
Embassy officials explained that their only coordination with Israeli authorities involved facilitating the landing of Carlson’s private plane to ensure his visit went smoothly. They stressed that Carlson chose to make only a brief entry into the country before leaving and received the same treatment as any other visitor.
Ambassador Huckabee took to social media platform X to counter Carlson’s narrative, explaining that passport verification and security questioning are standard procedures for all travelers at Israeli airports, including high-ranking officials. The ambassador pointed out that even he must go through these same protocols despite carrying diplomatic credentials.
Huckabee also criticized news organizations for spreading what he termed the “false story” about Carlson being “detained” by Israeli security forces.
The face-to-face meeting came about after tensions arose from Carlson’s February podcast titled “Christian Persecution.” That episode featured conversations with Jerusalem’s Anglican archbishop and a Jordanian business leader that suggested Christians experience substantial persecution in Israel.
In response to Carlson’s criticisms of Christian Zionists, Ambassador Huckabee had challenged him on X, writing: “Hey @TuckerCarlson instead of talking ABOUT me, why don’t you come talk TO me?” Carlson accepted the invitation for a direct conversation.
Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also traveled to Israel this week to draw attention to what she described as “Christian persecution.”
Ambassador Huckabee, who previously served as Arkansas governor and is an ordained Baptist minister, has been defending Christian Zionism since late January when Jerusalem church leaders criticized it as harmful ideology.
When asked during a podcast interview whether he considers Carlson anti-Semitic, Ambassador Huckabee replied: “If he’s not, he’s hiding his love for Jews very carefully. This is not the Tucker Carlson I’ve known since 1991.”
