ByPHILLIP NIETO, US POLITICAL REPORTER
Published:14:17 EST, 18 February 2026|Updated:15:08 EST, 18 February 2026
Conservative podcasting titanTucker Carlsonsaid he and his staff were detained in Israel on Wednesday following an interview withDonald Trump's ambassador to the country.
The formerFox Newshost flew into Tel Aviv for a sit-down with Mike Huckabee, who challenged Carlson to speak to him directly following an online spat about the country's treatment of Christians.
Carlson, who also frequently criticizes Israel for its military actions in Gaza, took Huckabee up on his offer.
But as critics and pro-Israel activists began piling on Carlson for purportedly not leaving the airport during his brief visit, he revealed that he was met with hostility in the Middle Eastern country.
Carlson told the Daily Mail exclusively that shortly after the interview,Israeliofficials 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.'
Source: Drudge Report
