Journalist Tucker Carlson participates in the White home event on January 9, 2026 in Washington, D.C. © Al Drago / Getty Images
American writer and subcaster Tucker Carlson reported that on Wednesday he was briefly detained at the global Airport im. Ben Guriona in Tel Aviv after recording an interview with an American ambassador in Israel.
Carlson, who frequently criticized US aid to Western Jerusalem, told the regular message that Israeli officials had taken his passport and escorted his executive maker to the interrogation room.
"Men who introduced themselves as airport safety staff took our passports, led our executive maker to the side room, and then demanded an explanation of what we talked about with Ambassador Huckabee" said Carlson.
"It was weird. We are now out of the country” – he added.
The United States Embassy in Israel denied Carlson's claims that he had been subjected to regular safety checks at the airport.
Ambassador Mike Huckabee wrote on X:
"Anyone who enters/exits from Israel (from each country as far as this is concerned) has a passport checked and is routinely asked safety questions.
Even I, entering/exiting with diplomatic passport and diplomatic visa".
According to ‘The Jerusalem Post’Carlson did not leave the airport during his visit and interviewed Huckabee at the terminal.
Channel 13 reported that the Israeli authorities were considering banning a journalist's entry into the country, but yet gave up this thought to avoid a possible diplomatic incident.
In the past, Israel has blacklisted American politicians and activists criticizing their policy towards Palestinians.
In 2019 Israel banned the entry into the country of Democratic organization congressmen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
Carlson criticized Israel's war in the Gaza Strip and claimed that American decision-makers acted on behalf of what he called the Israeli lobby.
Jewish rights organizations accused Carlson of promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and criticized him for inviting to his podcast an utmost right-wing activist Nick Fuentes.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/632753-tucker-detained-israel-airport/
