Tucker Carlson calls Israeli airport questioning ‘weirdest experience’ after US ambassador interview

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: Podcaster Tucker Carlson has claimed Israeli authorities subjected him and his crew to unusual questioning at the airport following an interview with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee. 

Carlson described the encounter as deeply strange, saying it happened shortly after he wrapped the interview with the diplomat. Israeli authorities, however, insist the interaction was routine and handled respectfully.

Tucker Carlson describes tense airport encounter

According to the reports, Carlson said airport security temporarily took his passport and pulled one of his team members aside for questioning.

“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 reportedly said.

The conservative commentator went further, calling the episode the “weirdest experience of my life,” framing it as an unexpected escalation after what was supposed to be a straightforward interview trip.

Israeli media reported that Carlson conducted the interview at Ben Gurion International Airport and did not leave the airport complex before returning to the United States.

Israel pushes back on Tucker Carlson’s claims

Israeli officials quickly rejected Carlson’s characterization of the incident. Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, said the interaction was routine.

He stated the former Fox News host was “politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travellers”.

Marmorstein also addressed why the conversation happened away from public view. “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,” he added.

The sharply different accounts highlight the dispute over what exactly happened during Carlson’s brief visit.

Interview followed public spat with Mike Huckabee

The airport episode came after a public disagreement between Carlson and Huckabee. The interview itself was arranged following a back-and-forth over Carlson’s podcast episode discussing the treatment of Christians in Israel.

Huckabee responded by inviting Carlson to visit Israel and speak with him directly, setting the stage for the interview that ultimately preceded the airport controversy.

Tucker Carlson’s criticism fuels GOP tensions

Carlson remains one of the most influential voices within the MAGA movement, but his increasingly critical tone toward Israel has reportedly created friction inside the Republican Party.

For decades, the party has maintained strong and unified support for Israel. Carlson’s recent commentary and now the airport dispute appear to be widening that internal divide.