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Conservative U.S. podcaster Tucker Carlson was reportedly detained by Israeli airport security shortly after interviewing the United States ambassador to Israel in Tel Aviv, according to media reports, although Israeli authorities denied any detention took place.
Carlson traveled to Tel Aviv for a face-to-face interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee after the two had publicly disagreed online over Israel’s treatment of Christians.
Following the interview, Israeli airport security officials allegedly confiscated passports belonging to Carlson’s group and separated his executive producer for questioning, according to the British news outlet Daily Mail.
Carlson described the encounter as unusual, saying security personnel demanded details about his discussion with the ambassador.
"Men who identified themselves as airport security...demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about," Carlson said. "It was bizarre. We're now out of the country."
A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Israel rejected claims that Carlson had been detained, saying he underwent standard passport control procedures.
The spokesperson said Carlson experienced the same routine process applied to "countless visitors to Israel, including Ambassador Huckabee and other diplomats."
Israel’s Airport Authority also denied that Carlson or his team was detained, delayed, or formally questioned.
"Contrary to reports, Tucker Carlson and those with him were not detained, delayed, or questioned," the authority said in a statement.
Officials said Carlson and his staff were asked "a few routine questions politely" at Ben Gurion Airport and that such procedures were standard practice for many travelers.
The authority added that Carlson and his team were escorted to a separate room only to avoid conducting the interaction in public, disputing reports that the move constituted detention or interrogation.
Carlson later left the country without further incident, according to the statements and reports.
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