Tucker Carlson is facing renewed scrutiny after Israeli officials and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett disputed his claim that he was "detained" during a brief visit to Israel - and a circulating video is now adding new questions to the controversy.
As previously reported, Carlson told the Daily Mail that Israeli authorities confiscated his passport and questioned his executive producer after he conducted an interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee at Ben Gurion Airport. Carlson suggested the questioning was tied to what was discussed in the interview.
However, Huckabee publicly contradicted that description.
"EVERYONE who comes in/out of Israel has passports checked & routinely asked security questions," Huckabee wrote on X, characterizing the interaction as standard security procedure rather than a detention.
Israel's airport authority issued a similar response, stating that Carlson and his team were "politely asked a few routine questions" consistent with protocols applied to many travelers. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem further clarified that Carlson remained within airport grounds by choice and departed just hours after arriving.
Bennett Enters the Debate
The situation escalated when former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sharply criticized Carlson's version of events.
In a strongly worded post on X, Bennett argued that Carlson "didn't even step foot in country," took a photo in the airport's private terminal area, and misrepresented a routine security screening as harassment.
Bennett's remarks quickly spread across social media, intensifying debate over what actually occurred during Carlson's short visit.
Video Circulates Online
Fueling the controversy further, a video widely shared online appears to show Carlson calmly interacting with airport officials - signing documents and posing for a photo before leaving.
The footage has not been independently verified by all outlets. However, supporters of Israeli officials argue it undermines Carlson's claim of being detained or aggressively questioned.
Carlson has not directly addressed the circulating video or Bennett's criticism. The interview he conducted with Huckabee has not yet been released.
What Happens Next?
The dispute has drawn attention beyond the airport incident itself, touching on broader disagreements within conservative circles over U.S.-Israel relations.
For now, two sharply different accounts remain: Carlson's description of being detained, and officials' insistence that the interaction was routine security screening.
Whether the forthcoming Huckabee interview provides further clarity remains to be seen.
Related: Was Tucker Carlson 'Detained' in Israel?
