Conservative figure Tucker Carlson traveled to Israel this week, and he claims he was detained at the airport, following a contentious interview. However, is there more to the story?
In this post:
Tucker Carlson claims he was detained at Ben Gurion Airport
Tucker Carlson is a polarizing conservative figure, and in recent times, he has become a pretty vocal critic of Israel, including of the country’s actions in Gaza.
On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Carlson traveled to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV), in order to have an interview with Mike Huckabee, the United States Ambassador to Israel. This followed an online spat between the two about how Christians are treated in Israel, with Carlson accusing Huckabee of not doing enough to protect Christians in the country.
The two have known one another for decades, and even worked together at Fox News. So Huckabee invited Carlson to interview him in person, saying “instead of talking about me, why don’t you come talk to me?”
Carlson flew in on a private jet and didn’t actually leave the airport premises for the interview, as the idea was to have the interview and then leave right away. However, Carlson claims that shortly after the interview, Israeli officials confiscated his passport, and took him to an interrogation room.
As he explained, “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.”
Ultimately after extensive questioning, Carlson was allowed to leave the country. Interestingly, some reports suggest that the Israeli government initially didn’t want to allow Carlson into the country, leading to a negotiation with the State Department. This report suggests that in the end, Israel decided not to ban Carlson, in order to avoid a diplomatic incident. However, these claims are disputed, as I’ll cover below.
It sounds like Tucker Carlson just got the usual treatment?
As I read about Carlson’s experience, I couldn’t help but think “wait a second, it sounds like he just got the standard Ben Gurion Airport treatment?” Israel is known for having the world’s strictest airport security, and it’s totally normal to be placed in a room and questioned by security officials.
So I believe Carlson just doesn’t fully understand how security usually works at the airport. Odds are that him being a critic of the country may have subjected him to extra questioning, just as I was questioned when departing the airport due to my travel patterns. But that’s really just how things work at the airport, like it or not, and it doesn’t sound like he was objected to anything out of the ordinary.
For what it’s worth, a spokesperson for the United States Embassy in Israel claims that Carlson “received the same passport control questions that countless visitors to Israel, including Ambassador Huckabee and other diplomats, receive as part of normal entrance and exit from Israel.”
The representative also pushed back on the claim of Carlson nearly not being allowed into the country, explaining that “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.”
Meanwhile former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took to social media to call Carlson a “chicken$***,” writing “the guy who’s been spouting lies about Israel for the past two years, landed today at Ben Gurion airport, took a quick picture in the logistics zone, tweeted it to pretend he’s actually IN Israel (so he can later claim that he’s a serious reporter who toured Israel), didn’t even step foot in country, then made up a story that he’s being supposedly harassed by our security (didn’t happen), whined about it, got back into the private jet and flew off.”
He concluded that “next time he talks about Israel as if he’s some expert, just remember this guy is a phony!”
Bottom line
Tucker Carlson traveled to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport to interview Mike Huckabee about the treatment of Christians in the country. Carlson claims he was detained and questioned prior to leaving, which is probably technically true.
What this leaves out is that this is basically the standard screening protocol in Israel, and it’s common for passengers to be questioned extensively prior to being able to board a flight out of the country. This would be very different than if you were interrogated prior to boarding a flight in the United States, or Japan, or wherever else.
What do you make of Carlson’s claims about his “detainment” in Israel?
Don't really care about the Tucker issues. I will say, as someone that has been to about 40 countries, my entry into Israel about 6 years ago was been the only one with challenges. Arrived at midnight, got screened, asked to wait. Then rescreened, and finally allowed to enter the country at about 3 AM. Got to Jerusalem after 4 AM, dead tired. Poor family was stuck waiting for me- they cleared immediately. No past...
Don't really care about the Tucker issues. I will say, as someone that has been to about 40 countries, my entry into Israel about 6 years ago was been the only one with challenges. Arrived at midnight, got screened, asked to wait. Then rescreened, and finally allowed to enter the country at about 3 AM. Got to Jerusalem after 4 AM, dead tired. Poor family was stuck waiting for me- they cleared immediately. No past travel that would prompt a concern. My father's side of the family is even Jewish. Keep this in mind if you travel to Israel and have never been there.
If you are a raving antisemite and travel to Israel expect consequences.
Is Carlson making enough money to fly private on long hauls, or is he burning through investor cash?
There's video of him signing something, then putting his arm around the security official and posing for a picture.
Doesn't seem too distressed.
This guy loves to dramatize inconveniences and make them sound like they are personal attacks on freedom. I know first hand of TLV airport and El Al how intense they are, I have a family member who was questioned before flying seemingly randomly, not allowed to wait at the gate with others and was forced to check all carry-on items so that they had nothing with them for the 10 hour + flight. This is...
This guy loves to dramatize inconveniences and make them sound like they are personal attacks on freedom. I know first hand of TLV airport and El Al how intense they are, I have a family member who was questioned before flying seemingly randomly, not allowed to wait at the gate with others and was forced to check all carry-on items so that they had nothing with them for the 10 hour + flight. This is what happens and people who know anything (especially "journalists") should know this. Also I recall his platforming of Canadian "political prisoners" who were "swept up by masked officials and imprisoned for weeks upon landing in Canada" during COVID. Which is to say there was a mandatory quarantine in Canada during COVID for a brief time, something that was publicized and everyone entering was made aware of before entering.... Agree or disagree with the policy but all this information is out there already. An actual journalist would know this.
Now here is a very interesting observation to note Ben …. Your last El Al flight review was in 2017, time to reacquaint yourself perhaps?
Furthermore, you do not appear to have troubled yourself to review any other Israeli airline either …. not Israir, Arkia or TUS evan. Now whatever is one to think Ben?
F*rd is vehemently pro-Palestinian, because that gets they followers on Insta.
That's basically all you need to know. That and, of course, the charming ha-laaam hand movement from they.
His Instagram is private.
ORD-is-my…….just begging to get banned from OMAAT today.
You wish.
I don’t. You usually post useful/interesting stuff. But today it’s just bigotry and nasty. And you being a veteran doesn’t excuse it.
But Ronnie …. So, ORD being a veteran doesn’t excuse it. The 64 thousand dollar question is …. Did he put any time in? Now I understand that he wasn’t a REMF, so he must have a chest full of medals if he was a vet. However, was he land, sea or air? …. That is the question …. :-)
I am bigoted against Palestinians because they danced in the streets of the West Bank and Gaza on 9/11. I am not bigoted against the Saudis because they allied with us in the Gulf War, of which I'm a veteran. I am bigoted against the Kuwaitis because they never thanked me or my comrades in arms about us getting their country back for them in said Gulf War. I am not bigoted against the Iraqis...
I am bigoted against Palestinians because they danced in the streets of the West Bank and Gaza on 9/11. I am not bigoted against the Saudis because they allied with us in the Gulf War, of which I'm a veteran. I am bigoted against the Kuwaitis because they never thanked me or my comrades in arms about us getting their country back for them in said Gulf War. I am not bigoted against the Iraqis because any trouble they caused us was our fault for causing them trouble. I am bigoted against Iranians for 1979.
It's complex, you see. And today, thanks to anti-semitic MAGA posters, put me in a particularly virulent mood, so I've let my particular strain of bigotry loose for once. And "nasty" is my default mode.
Just be glad no one brought up how I might feel about Mexicans.
Thanks for the grin and personal perspective ORD. If I said you read like a Jarhead Vet, will that make you “Bigoted” as you put it, towards me? …. :-)
People who attribute their bigotry to their military service are a disgrace to the uniform and to this country
Unfortunately, this is proof that there is no God. Had there been a God, they would have detained his stupid arse and kept him from returning back to the U.S. Unfortunately, the U.S. is stuck with him. Ugghhh.
My! Oh my, you really do know how to generate clicks Ben. Clicks from all those people who believe in the supernatural, the religious bigots, political fanatics, the anti semites and those who support Muslim terrorists. Whatever next, I fear to speculate.
Give me strength, I shake my head in wonderment and await the dubious pleasure of the forthcoming contributions from 1990Bot …. :-(
"So I believe Carlson just doesn’t fully understand how security usually works at the airport"
Lying. The word you're looking for is "Lying".
He wasn't detained. The US, Israel and Occam's razor have all independently confirmed that.
He's tries to fabricate a "scene" which a tabloid was happy to pick up on with zero vetting, just so he can be a "victim". It's all performative. He's a 60 year old Greta Thunberg.
Tucker being Tucker. Making fake news. He knew exactly what he was doing or he would have actually attempted to enter the country.
All of the baby-killing Zionists decided to make an appearance today.
Eliminating an enemy of the United States always makes me cheerful, and Palestinians demonstrated on 9/11 that they are our enemies. Kill as many as possible. I won't miss them.
You should know that real Americans consider your kind to be far more insidious. Your innate greed and thirst for blood is sickening - Germany should have finished the job.
Too late. My family got out of Poland 50 years prior to the war. And, no, I'm not Jewish. Catholic all the way, baby, and we were the ones who invented the pogrom, so if the Jews step out of line, we can deal with that.
And kill the babies. There are three types of Palestinians: terrorists, future terrorists, and those who give birth to future terrorists. All branches need to be eliminated.
"[W]e were the ones who invented the pogrom, so if the Jews step out of line, we can deal with that."
More disgusting genocidal rhetoric from this poster. There is absolutely no reason for Ben to allow this commenter to continue posting here.
Yes, there is. I'm cute.
At this point I Think Ben either agrees with, or is happy about the engagement comments like this generate, even when he himself is a target
Thanks for revealing your true form, John. As if we didn't know.
aaaaand... @John your comment about Germany has undoubtedly crossed the line into antisemitism. Cut it out.
@ORD_Is_My_Second_Home Your comments are vile, and if you're truly pro-Israel, you are actively hurting the cause. If ORD is truly your second home, I hope you get stuck taxiing forever.
What was the nationality of the people dancing in NYC with the towers burning again?
They were Palestinians dancing on the West Bank and Gaza while the towers burned on television broadcasts. Let's make it clear that American Muslims were not dancing in the streets, although I'm sure a few under-breath Aloha Snackbars were said by them.
Typical Antisemitism, claim that Israel is doing (baby killing, murder etc) what it's enemies actually do (Hamas, iran etc) .
Say a lie enough times, doesn't make it the truth...
Say critical things about Isreal enough times, doesn't make it Antisemitism...
@Ben, a poster above advocated killing children. You don’t have to allow them to post such things. Your blog, your rules.
That said, we know statistically that letting in Palestinians is equal to more murders, r*pe, violence and mayhem.
Anyone advocating for that is advocating for violence and is, as such, fair game.
Personally, I just want to live with white non-Americans. And that's as valid as someone black saying they want to live with black people.
Seriously EskimoBot, even you should know the difference between fiction and non-fiction, yes?
Telling the truth is not antisemitism, however, fabricated false reporting definitely smacks of all out antisemitism, yes?
H'm somehow if this had been Mark Levin I think this would have gone down differently.
How is this relevant to a travel and financial institution focused blog?
Tucker Carlson appears to have been dropped on his head. And then picked up and dropped on his head again. And then picked up and dropped on his head again.
He’s not particularly smart. He’s not particularly intuitive. But you can give him props for finding the grift that gets him the most money.
I see a Lot of "Israeli Agents" commenting here today. Israel has thousands of people working in the "media disinformation Dept". their Job is to Disrepute anyone who criticizes Israel. Huckabee, being an Ordained Minister in Church is an Israeli shill that does not care about Churches being vandalized, Clergy being Spat and attacked in the occupied Territories. If you criticize Israel and here comes the AS Card.
I'm not an Israeli agent. I'm on Israel's side. And I'm a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church, so whatever mutation of Christianity Huckabee belongs to is irrelevant to me; he's a heretic and should be burned. Only the churches represented at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are acceptable; they're our brother churches that we have slight disagreements with.
And if you do criticize Israel, there should be some thoughts of anti-semitism that go into that.
Wow a clergy member got spat on by a teenager, that makes Israel truly evil! Ur nuts! How many Christians are being murdered and beaten on a daily basis by radical Muslims. Please don't tell me that a kid spitting on a clergy member, means that Israel doesn't respect Christianity and it's clergy. Nothing wrong if you criticize Israel when it does something wrong, but don't ignore the true genecides happening all over the world...
Wow a clergy member got spat on by a teenager, that makes Israel truly evil! Ur nuts! How many Christians are being murdered and beaten on a daily basis by radical Muslims. Please don't tell me that a kid spitting on a clergy member, means that Israel doesn't respect Christianity and it's clergy. Nothing wrong if you criticize Israel when it does something wrong, but don't ignore the true genecides happening all over the world and twist the facts and say all the evil Hamas and others are doing is Israels fault. There is one Democracy and Jewish state and there will always be haters, but like all of Jewish history, Gods people will prevail
Wow! Churches being vandalized By an Ally that get Billions from USA is not a Big thing for you? Google it!
I'd really like to give this a pass. I'm being asked to decide who I believe:
Mike Huckabee
Tucker Carlson
The Government of Israel
Ben, i’m curious. Given how much of your living is dependent on being able to freely travel, do you find that you are more reluctant to write critical pieces on matters that could cause you future travel delays or cancellations.
The most direct example here would be a negative piece on EL AL or an Airport in Israel. But I don’t want to make this about just Israel. I could see hesitancy in being...
Ben, i’m curious. Given how much of your living is dependent on being able to freely travel, do you find that you are more reluctant to write critical pieces on matters that could cause you future travel delays or cancellations.
The most direct example here would be a negative piece on EL AL or an Airport in Israel. But I don’t want to make this about just Israel. I could see hesitancy in being critical of businesses and infrastructure in other countries as well… Chinese airlines/airports, Russian airports, etc…
Any sane person would make some type of calculation… and I’d be interested to read how you make yours.
Complaining about El Al is the national pastime in Israel.
You're asking someone who already self banned himself from Egypt?
Not a fan of Carlson and I don't think he is necessarily speaking truth about what happened.
But not sure I agree with the premise that this is normal procedure at TLV having been through it many times.
At least not for people who dont fit the profile of a potential terrorist or foreign intelligence and Israelis are very good at profiling.
He probably would have been tailed anyway within the premises given the high...
Not a fan of Carlson and I don't think he is necessarily speaking truth about what happened.
But not sure I agree with the premise that this is normal procedure at TLV having been through it many times.
At least not for people who dont fit the profile of a potential terrorist or foreign intelligence and Israelis are very good at profiling.
He probably would have been tailed anyway within the premises given the high profile and the interview listened to.
He is not a fan of the country and Israel just let him know they aren't a fan of him either. If he spoke the truth about his experience.
Israel profiles very well, and if you're Jewish you get the royal treatment. If you're not Jewish you're subjected to more scrutiny. Whether we think this is fair or not, it's why the state was set up. Non-Jews have to prove their loyalty to a state set up for Jews.
Some other states which favour a certain religion have similar practices, but I don't think I've ever experienced it at the same level as Israel
"Tucker Carlson is a polarizing conservative figure, and in recent times, he has become a pretty vocal critic of Israel, including of the country’s actions in Gaza."
Dude, this is pretty disgusting whitewashing of the guy's platforming of bona fide antisemites. You should reconsider.
Not too mention his virulent homophobia and general white supremacy. Guy is a genuine neo-Nazi in a nice suit.
What are whites worse at than non-whites?
Says Eliyahu...lol
Softball interviews of self-proclaimed neo-Nazis like Nick Fuentes don't do much to rehabilitate his reputation, Matt.
Why would he want to go to an apartheid country doesn't make sense? Oh. He is a journalist after all. Plus if you're MAGA how can you support Israel. See USS Liberty and look up Jonathan Pollard. Thanks to Tucker and Charlie K for exposing Israel.
If you MAGAts don't support Israel, you're even more stupid and inbred than I thought. Pollard was an idiot who got caught, and if Mossad didn't employ somebody to spy on the US, then they're incompetent. Palestinians were the ones who danced in the streets on 9/11 while the video from Noo Yawk was playing on TV sets behind them. They're the enemy, and I'm in full support of everything Israel has done since 10/7. Full on roach removal.
Congrats Ben! You have genocidal supporting readers that call Palestinians roaches. Same exact rhetoric during the Rwandan genocide.
The description of other human beings is disgusting, dehumanizing, genocidal rhetoric. If Ben doesn't remove this post and ban this poster, his character and morals are significantly shittier than how he's held them out to be over the years.
Ben, you face a stark choice here. This is your platform. If you leave this post and this poster in place, you own this.
Boo hoo, snowflake.
I don't support Israel because I'm pro-Jew. I support Israel because I'm anti-Palestine.
Same here, and I'm a liberal Democrat. I'm a liberal Democrat who served (Gulf War veteran), and I don't abide enemies of my country.
Does that extend to Canadian boycotters of US travel?
Canadians aren't enemies, and we were the agressor in this instance, so they're justified. Palestinians started this situation.
Tucker Carlson is an entitled moron with a case of brain syphillis that should have been subjected to a cavity search broadcast on the airport's television screens.
MIGA!
Tucker Carlson is a TikToker in a blue blazer. Everything he says & does is for attention.
Speaking of Israel, El Al announced a bunch of new routes including some longhauls to Asia (Manila, Hanoi, Seoul), not sure if you want to cover them.