US Embassy Debunks Tucker Carlson Sob Story Over Israeli Airport Security Incident

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Tucker Carlson sparked anger among his fans and many in the isolationist wing of the GOP on Wednesday after the Daily Mail ran a headline claiming he had been “DETAINED” in Israel, a claim the U.S. Embassy quickly denied.

The Mail ran a headline based on comments from Carlson that read, “Tucker Carlson ‘DETAINED’ in Israel: Journalist ‘dragged into interrogation room’ as explosive interview sparks diplomatic firestorm.”

The exclusive report by Phillip Nieto included both Carlson’s full claims and the U.S. Embassy’s denial.

“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 Mail, adding, “It was bizarre. We’re now out of the country.”

The U.S. Embassy in Israel denied Carlson was detained in a statement to the Mail, which said Carlson “received the same passport control questions that countless visitors to Israel including Ambassador [Mike] Huckabee and other diplomats receive as part of normal entrance and exit from Israel.”

“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,” concluded an Embassy spokesperson.

The Daily Mail headline quickly raised the ire of many MAGA influencers, including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who shared it on social media and wrote, “American citizen and journalist Tucker Carlson detained in Israel after interviewing our U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee. We won’t tolerate this. You just made it worse.” Carlson has been on a tour of Middle Eastern countries in recent weeks and has become one of Israel’s most fierce critics, while arguing Qatar — not Israel —  should be the U.S.’s closest ally in the region.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, whom Carlson flew to Israel to interview, also weighed in, noting, “EVERYONE who comes in/out of Israel (every country for that matter) has passports checked & routinely asked security questions. Even ME going in/out with Diplomatic Passport & Diplomatic Visa.”

Upon further digging, senior U.S. correspondent for Israel’s Channel 14 News Libby Alon poured cold water all over Carlson’s claim.

“A source familiar with the details told me that Carlson and the producer were NOT questioned at all. Security questioned the film crew members who arrived the day before about their stay in Israel (completely standard procedure), and then all the passengers boarded the plane to their destination,” reported Alon.

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