Tucker Confronts Mike Huckabee on America’s Toxic Relationship With Israel

We're about to play you an interview we did with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee two days ago in Israel. In general, it's never worth talking about the backstory behind an interview. It's kind of not the point. It makes it about the interviewer, not the person being interviewed. For one thing, for another, it's not that interesting

most of the time. And for another, it's kind of off the record.

You know, the other person hasn't consented to you telling the story. So in

general, we don't do that. Who'd want to hear that? Let the interview speak for itself. But in this case, we want to tell you a few things about

itself. But in this case, we want to tell you a few things about how this interview came about because they are pretty interesting, revealing and now weirdly relevant, apparently. So this interview with Mike Huckabee came about a couple of weeks

relevant, apparently. So this interview with Mike Huckabee came about a couple of weeks ago on Twitter. One of our producers showed me. He said something to the effect of, you're talking to Middle Eastern Christians, Tucker Carlson. Maybe you should talk to me. Why don't you come do an interview? And I paused for a minute. I

me. Why don't you come do an interview? And I paused for a minute. I

thought in the past about trying to interview Mike Huckabee, whom I've known for over 30 years and worked adjacent to at Fox. And I had mixed feelings about it, mostly because it's hard if you're me to interview Mike Huckabee because of just the personal affect. Mike Huckabee is jovial, comes off as friendly. He's

a grandfather, right? When annoyed, I can be nasty in interviews. And

so it takes a lot of self-control to interview someone like Mike Huckabee, not because I hate him, but because it's hard to ask him tough questions and not come off as a jerk, which I often am. So, but I thought in this case, yeah, I should definitely do this for a bunch of different

reasons. Mainly, the United States is moving toward a big war, a real war

reasons. Mainly, the United States is moving toward a big war, a real war with Iran, a regime change war. The biggest war we've had since the invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003. And Israel is driving that. We are doing this at the behest of the demand of of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. So it seems like now is the time for more Americans to understand the

Netanyahu. So it seems like now is the time for more Americans to understand the dynamic between the U.S. and Israel and to call attention to that. And for another, Huckabee's behavior in the last year in Jerusalem as the ambassador has been very, very striking. He famously had a meeting with the most damaging spy in American

very striking. He famously had a meeting with the most damaging spy in American history. And why did he do that? He hadn't been asked by anybody up

history. And why did he do that? He hadn't been asked by anybody up until two days ago. Why did you do that? So I wanted to be able to ask him that. And so we accepted and then began the usual negotiations about when and where the interview would take place. And we were constrained because we weren't expecting this. We wanted to do it quickly, but we had tons of travel.

So we threw them a date, them being the American embassy. We can

do it on this date. And they were very accommodating. And then the question became, well, where do we do it? Maybe a Christian holy site. We said,

we've got to get in and out really quick. Got to be back to do a bunch of other interviews. But we've got this timeframe. They

said, well, why don't you do it at the U.S. embassy? Or maybe we set that great U.S. embassy. So the U.S. embassy is about an hour, 55 minutes from the big airport in Israel, Ben-Gurion, right? So we said, OK, what about security? Now, at this time, the Israeli government, the prime minister included, were

security? Now, at this time, the Israeli government, the prime minister included, were attacking me in this show. Netanyahu suggested I was a Nazi, for example. And so

we thought, you know, how about security? Obviously. not because the Israeli government necessarily would do something bad, because there are a lot of people in Israel who think because they've been told, you know, that I'm an anti-Semite or a Nazi or want to kill Jews. It's kind of crazy overstatement. All untrue,

obviously, but it would be good to have security. And I should say, having done interviews on six out of seven continents over 35 years, I'm not very security conscious at all. Never really feel uncomfortable with this seem like a prudent thing to do. So we were told by the embassy spokesman, no, we're not going to provide security. And so we said, OK, I guess we'll get private security. But

could we get someone from the embassy to ride in the car with us from the airport to the interview? And we were told, no, could we get what they call a control officer, just an American with us in an official capacity as an embassy employee with us? No, quote, for legal reasons, we can't do that. So I thought, well, that's very strange. And then they

said, but instead, we're turning you over to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, MFA, and they're going to arrange everything in Israel. Well, this was within 24 hours of the deputy foreign minister, Sharon Haskell, releasing a video calling me an anti-Semite and an enemy of Israel. This was the person who the embassy was telling us was going to handle all of our travel issues.

So it was at this point that I just called. I called the spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Israel. And I said, OK, I'm an American citizen responding to

the U.S. embassy in Israel. And I said, OK, I'm an American citizen responding to an invitation from the American ambassador to Israel. And by the way, I'm the son of a U.S. ambassador. So I have some sense, not an expert, obviously, but I have some sense of how this works. And I think that the U.S. ambassador has discretion to send somebody from his office to the airport

the U.S. ambassador has discretion to send somebody from his office to the airport to accompany someone in. I think that's right. And if it's not right, tell me what law you're talking about, what legal reason you're talking about that would prevent that. And now you're sending me over to a government official who's

prevent that. And now you're sending me over to a government official who's been calling me a Nazi. That's the person in charge of getting us to the embassy. Like, what is going on here? And the embassy spokesman, who's totally

the embassy. Like, what is going on here? And the embassy spokesman, who's totally nice, said, well, this was the decision of someone called David Brownstein. He's the DCM, the number two guy in the embassy. And I said, well, put him on a text exchange. Like, what is going on here? And so Brownstein got on and didn't answer the question, but basically said, well, OK, let's just do the

interview at the airport in the diplomatic reception area at the airport. OK, I said we're going to be flying in from Europe and we had to be in and out really quickly. So at great expense, we chartered a plane, which I never do. because I'm cheap. But we did. And so then I said to

never do. because I'm cheap. But we did. And so then I said to them, okay, I want to send you the flight information, tail number, flight number, route. And I want you to pass that on to the Israeli military just

route. And I want you to pass that on to the Israeli military just so they don't mistake us for an Iranian drone or something. I

mean, not to be paranoid, but again, this is probably the most violent country in the world, Israel. Is there a country in the world where a higher percentage of the population has held a gun or shot someone? I mean, I don't know the answer, but this is a country famously waging a seven front war with all of its neighbors. You know, so this is also the country that

bombed the USS Liberty knowing, we know this from NSA intercepts, that it was an American ship. So don't, you know, just send the military our flight information

American ship. So don't, you know, just send the military our flight information and, you know, we can all just sort of know it's on the record and we can all calm down a little bit. No, they said. The U.S.

Embassy said no. This is your flight is not a matter of concern to the Israeli military. I said, okay, now you're making me uncomfortable. Isn't the airspace of

Israeli military. I said, okay, now you're making me uncomfortable. Isn't the airspace of Israel the purview of the Israeli military? Aren't they in charge of maintaining the integrity of their airspace when you fly over the country of Israel or any country, its military keeps track of you because that's their job. So why wouldn't

you send our flight information to the Israeli military? You're making me nervous.

I sent this exchange. I took a screenshot of it and sent it to a bunch of people, including in the U.S. government, because I'm not a paranoid person and I'm not a jumpy person. I said, is this weird behavior? Yeah,

it's really weird behavior. All of them said that. So I got pretty aggressive and just said, look, you got to do this. OK. And they, to their credit, got back to us and said, yes, absolutely. We will do that. But I

just thought that was completely bizarre and menacing, by the way. Now, at the same time, and I think this is relevant, certainly it goes to motive, I was attempting to set up a meeting, as I have been for the past three months, with the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, who I've dealt with a lot in the past, and who denounced me as a Nazi in public, a

member of the Woke Reich Party. and why was i trying to do that not an interview i knew he wouldn't sit for an interview um but i wanted just to meet with him in person one to show that i'm willing to go to israel i don't hate israel as a country um but two just to say directly to him This is bad. This should be de-escalated.

This kind of rhetoric doesn't help anybody calling people, calling me specifically a Nazi and an anti-Semite when you know that I'm not. By the way, if I was, I would just admit it. I've said many times I think anti-Semitism is immoral. It's against my religion, just as hating any group on the

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with him. In fact, I went to go see some of those people directly.

Please, can you help me get a sit down for five minutes with Benjamin Netanyahu? And I probably called or met with six, seven, eight, maybe more

Netanyahu? And I probably called or met with six, seven, eight, maybe more people on this question. People in official capacities, people in the Israeli government. I

know I know a number of people in the Israeli government, people in Israel, a friend of mine in California who knows him. I mean, I really, really tried.

And I did so for two reasons. One, because there was a threat to my family, the Israeli government, and Netanyahu himself tried to punish two members of my family. I won't be more specific, but actually punish two members of my family

family. I won't be more specific, but actually punish two members of my family because he, as he has said in public many times, believes in blood guilt, Amalek. You know, when someone commits a crime against you, you punish not just him,

Amalek. You know, when someone commits a crime against you, you punish not just him, but his family, his bloodline. There's no idea that's less Western than that, more anti-Christian than that. Christians reject that. Netanyahu doesn't. That's

why he's talking about Amalek. And he was going after my family, literally. So I

felt very threatened by that. But moreover, I think it's bad for my country.

to have people using that kind of language, round them up, bring them to the camps, gas chambers, Nazis, anti-Semitism. It scares the heck out of people. It

makes people crazy and hysterical. And certainly in my case, none of that is true. I hate collective punishment. I hate attacking people on the basis of their bloodline. I hate anti-Semitism and anti-white racism and all of this, any kind of racism, period. And I've said that a lot. So using that kind of language against someone who is not fundamentally your enemy, who just, in my

case, I want Christians in areas controlled by Israel to be treated with dignity, to have rights, And I don't want the U.S. government involved in a war, a regime change war with Iran. Those are my priorities. And I've said them out loud. I have no secret agenda. So to attack me

as a Nazi for saying that suggests a total unwillingness to compromise.

You know, anyone who doesn't agree with us 100 percent must be destroyed. His

family must be attacked. My family must. and must be written off as a Nazi. Well, when you do that, it makes people hysterical. It increases the

a Nazi. Well, when you do that, it makes people hysterical. It increases the temperature to a point that, you know, someone's going to get hurt if you keep talking that way. And it's just bad. It's bad for the United States.

It's bad for the world. So I wanted to deliver that message. I finally wound up talking to a guy called Yoram Hazoni, who is an Israeli who famously organizes the American National Conservatism Conferences. And I said to him, look, you're having a national conservatism conference in Jerusalem this summer. You asked me to

speak at the first, I think the first national conservatism conference in the United States. And I did. Obviously, I believe in national conservatism, America first. I think every

States. And I did. Obviously, I believe in national conservatism, America first. I think every nation should put its own people first. That's why you have governments. And I would like to speak at this one. And moreover, I would like you to ask your friend, Benjamin Netanyahu, to meet with me. And we had this sort of long back and forth. And it was, no, you cannot speak at the National Conservatism Conference

because you're an anti-Semite. No, I'm not, I said. Yes, you are, you said.

And I said, well, I really would like to speak to Bibi to kind of deescalate this. And he said it would not be in his political interest to

deescalate this. And he said it would not be in his political interest to meet with you. It's almost verbatim what he said. Therefore, no. So then I realized, you know, you're dealing with people who are unreasonable, who are inflexible, who are, in fact, fanatical. And then add to that, of course, that my

tax dollars are paying them. You know, it's all pretty distressing. So that was the backdrop behind our very brief and highly intense trip to Israel. So we

show up on Wednesday, fly in from Europe, again, a great expense.

and show up at the diplomatic terminal of Ben Gurion Airport where this interview is going to take place, which is... in itself, filthy building. The windows are so dirty in the terminal. You can't see out them barely.

building. The windows are so dirty in the terminal. You can't see out them barely.

There's like exposed drywall. The whole thing is depressing and grim. There's a litter outside.

Like, what is this? This is the diplomatic terminal in Israel. Um, I thought that was very strange having been in a lot of diplomatic terminals. I've never seen a rattier one. We go in and Huckabee's there. And of course he's totally

rattier one. We go in and Huckabee's there. And of course he's totally friendly as he always is. Um, Um, very, very friendly guy and a cheerful and we sort of chat and the whole place is filled with these guys in t-shirts, thuggish looking guys in t-shirts who are some kind of security. So

we do the interview. You're about to watch it. Um, it's very long at two and a half hours ish. And I try my hardest to be friendly. Uh, I think I kind of succeeded. You can judge for yourself.

friendly. Uh, I think I kind of succeeded. You can judge for yourself.

But I really got the sense, and again, you can decide as you watch it, that Huckabee was not able to answer any of the questions, but also not really in charge. You really got the feeling of a guy sort of trying his best to repeat the talking points, but very constrained, like unable to

say certain things. Not because those things might harm the interest of the u.s government he was happy to attack for example the u.s military and say they're

u.s government he was happy to attack for example the u.s military and say they're more brutal than the israeli military okay um but unwilling to say certain things because they might reflect poorly on the israeli government and you sort of thinking about this for a second you're like wait you're the u.s ambassador you're our representative to a foreign country why is your red line criticism of that country shouldn't you

be representing us And it was very obvious he was representing the Israelis.

Obvious. And again, you can judge for yourself. But anyway, so we do this interview. It was cordial. And at the end, we're set to fly out. We

interview. It was cordial. And at the end, we're set to fly out. We

have a time we have to get out and the plane is sitting right outside and we're ready to go. And for some reason, the Israelis still have our passports.

There are five of us there. And four of us are flying out on this plane. One's flying out commercial with our gear. So my business partner and I, which were standing there, we've never left the airport, never went anywhere.

But our two producers have spent the night before in Tel Aviv. And they're called into rooms and given the third degree. Now, keep in mind, they're about to get on a plane and leave. In fact, we're late. We

have to get out of there. We have a slot to get out. And security,

whoever this is, won't let them go. So I don't really know what's going on at this point. I'm like, where are our guys? We've

got to get out of here. So one of them comes out and he says, that was the weirdest experience in my life. They asked me questions about the interview. Who did you speak to? Keep in mind, this was like eight

the interview. Who did you speak to? Keep in mind, this was like eight feet from where we did the interview. Well, the U.S. ambassador, Mike Huckabee, what did you talk about? Why did you ask those questions? Was it a hostile interview? Of course, everything in the diplomatic terminal is taped. Everything in Israel is

interview? Of course, everything in the diplomatic terminal is taped. Everything in Israel is taped. It's a police state. It's a surveillance state. Obviously, you go to Israel,

taped. It's a police state. It's a surveillance state. Obviously, you go to Israel, they put software on your phone. Everybody knows this. They're constantly spying on you more than probably any other country. And so they know the answers to these questions. But they're asking my producer, like, where do you work? How many people

questions. But they're asking my producer, like, where do you work? How many people work there? Do you go to the office? Where is the office? What are their

work there? Do you go to the office? Where is the office? What are their names? They're doing like an Intel op and humiliation exercise on my

names? They're doing like an Intel op and humiliation exercise on my producer. This isn't security. We're leaving right now. And they're holding his passport. The

producer. This isn't security. We're leaving right now. And they're holding his passport. The

interrogator is holding the passport in his hand as he's asking these questions. So

he's telling me this. And I said, this is the most outrageous thing I've ever heard. Puckabee's gone by this point. You're an American citizen who's just had a

heard. Puckabee's gone by this point. You're an American citizen who's just had a conversation with the U.S. ambassador and some thug is demanding details of that conversation.

You know, I hope you didn't answer. And he's like, no, I didn't. I

don't know what to say. Meanwhile, our last guy, the youngest man who was traveling with us, our last producer, is still in a room being questioned. So

I pull over one of the guys and said, we got to get out of here. So I don't know what this is about. It's outrageous. And, you know,

here. So I don't know what this is about. It's outrageous. And, you know, there's nothing I can do about this point, but we got to go.

And this woman comes up to me and says, look, let's just go.

We're going to bring you to the plane and he'll come later. I said, no, it's my producer. He's being interrogated, asked totally over the top, fully inappropriate questions that have nothing to do with security at all. You know,

pull up your website, show us your text exchanges with other people on your staff.

What are your politics like? And again, what did you say to the U.S.

ambassador and what did he say back to you? Those are not relevant questions if you're trying to keep your country secure. Those are intel questions and they're over the top. And I said, I want this guy out now. Let's go. You know,

the top. And I said, I want this guy out now. Let's go. You know,

we got to go. And they said, no, no, just leave him here.

We'll bring him to the plane later. Twice they told me that. Just

leave your guy behind. No, I don't think so. So I was enraged by this. Get on the plane. We get a text from a reporter who somehow knew

this. Get on the plane. We get a text from a reporter who somehow knew that this had happened. I have no idea how. I had no interest in publicizing it, actually. And There was, you know, a long trail that showed that the U.S. embassy had been coordinating against us in a in a public

relations battle before we even got there. You know, they were leaking that we we demanded to do it at the airport because we were afraid to go into Israel. We're cowards. OK, we're cowards. Right. Right. And so I just

Israel. We're cowards. OK, we're cowards. Right. Right. And so I just said to the reporter by text, you know, they pulled my guys into a room interrogating them. This is outrageous, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. The

interrogating them. This is outrageous, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. The

interesting thing is I never heard from Huckabee or anybody to this moment from the U.S. embassy about what security did to my producers. They didn't ask us.

And instead, Huckabee went out and called me a liar. So it raises, again, the question, who exactly is, is Huckabee working for? We're American citizens in a foreign country. He's our ambassador. He represents our country. We pay his salary,

foreign country. He's our ambassador. He represents our country. We pay his salary, but he's taking the side of the foreign government without even calling to say, hey, what happened to you at the airport? Did you get hassled? Did

your guys get hassled? No. He just immediately repeats their lies without even consulting us. So what are we looking at here? We're looking at the reality.

which is if you're an American in Israel, you can be certain that your government will take the side of the Israeli government and not your side. And really, is that so different from the experience of Americans in the United States? Can you

be sure that your government will take your side over the Israeli government? No,

of course not. They will always take the Israeli government's side over yours. And

that's the core problem. Even if you support Israel, A war with Iran. I think

we really the most pressing issue for Americans is that we kill the Ayatollah or whatever. You still have a fair expectation that your government, because it is

or whatever. You still have a fair expectation that your government, because it is yours, you pay for it. It exists to serve you. And for no other reason, you have an expectation that your government will take your side against a foreign government. But the daily lived reality, the obvious truth visible to every single American is

government. But the daily lived reality, the obvious truth visible to every single American is that's the opposite. of reality. In fact, if you criticize Israel in your country, your government will work to censor you. If there's

a standoff between you and Bibi, you know whose side your government's going to take, Bibi's side. That is not sustainable. That is too humiliating. It's too clearly an inversion of the natural

humiliating. It's too clearly an inversion of the natural order. Your government exists for you, not for a foreign

order. Your government exists for you, not for a foreign government. But that's not how we live in this country or in Israel. So

government. But that's not how we live in this country or in Israel. So

that's what we learned. And one last thing, the Israelis apparently went, probably with the help of Mike Huckabee, went to the surveillance tape inside the diplomatic terminal and pulled some clip. Of course, getting all their little bots online to promote it of me with my arm around somebody

to show that actually I'm lying about what happened.

That person was our driver who drove us from the plane to the terminal, a short drive. Very nice guy, good guy, Israeli guy. And right when we arrived and

short drive. Very nice guy, good guy, Israeli guy. And right when we arrived and he said, could I get a picture? Of course. He's a nice man. So I

just put my arm around him, took a picture. That's what that is. That

was before the interview. It was before our producers were hassled by the thugs and asked ridiculous questions. It was before any of this happened. So...

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with that, here is our interview with Ambassador Mike Huckabee. I hope it's informative. Ambassador, thank you very much for having us, for inviting me. I

informative. Ambassador, thank you very much for having us, for inviting me. I

was grateful to be invited. Well, thank you. I was grateful because I don't like all the... The name-calling, I've engaged in some of it. I want to apologize for that. But in general, I don't think people should be going immediately demotive, calling each other Nazis or anti-Semites. I said I hate the Christian Zionists. I

lost control of myself. Of course, I don't. I've apologized for that. I have

problems with my anger. And so I just want to apologize to you since you are a Christian Zionist. You and I have known each other for over 30 years. Over 30 years. That is totally true. Back when you were in

30 years. Over 30 years. That is totally true. Back when you were in Little Rock. Yes. I was at the newspaper in Little Rock. It's why I

Little Rock. Yes. I was at the newspaper in Little Rock. It's why I wanted us to have a conversation, talk to each other and not about each other. And I appreciate very much your coming here. Of course. And I'm

other. And I appreciate very much your coming here. Of course. And I'm

only staying a couple hours, unfortunately, because I kind of shoehorned this in. But I

hope that I'll be back soon. And I hope that I can come back soon because I want to. I actually like, despite what you may hear, I actually like the country. I've been here a lot. And there are a lot of things I love about it. And I want to talk to people in it for like a week. Good. And get a better sense of it.

So I wanna ask you, everyone I've talked to in preparation for this has said the same thing. Jonathan Pollard? - Yeah. - I'm just gonna show the name to you and have you explain. - No, I'm glad you asked. - Of course. - Interestingly, there's been a lot of things about it.

asked. - Of course. - Interestingly, there's been a lot of things about it.

You're the first person who has asked me about it, which I find amazing. So I'm glad you did. - Really? - Yeah, the very first

amazing. So I'm glad you did. - Really? - Yeah, the very first person. - Good, well, it's better to like hear it. - Sure. I met Jonathan

person. - Good, well, it's better to like hear it. - Sure. I met Jonathan Pollard two times. Once I was making a speech in Jerusalem, this has been a few years ago, his wife was still alive at the time, and he was there. And someone introduced me to him and his wife. I said hello to them. That was it. Hi, nice to meet Esther,

wife. I said hello to them. That was it. Hi, nice to meet Esther, his wife, and that was it. I went and made my speech and I left. Later, his wife passed away here in Israel. And I sent him

left. Later, his wife passed away here in Israel. And I sent him a note and just said, "I'm sorry to hear about your wife." I remember meeting her at the hotel and sorry to hear it. He then asked, could he come and see me? He wanted to come and thank me for being kind to him. He came to the embassy. I think we met for maybe 30

him. He came to the embassy. I think we met for maybe 30 minutes. We had a nice pleasant visit. The funny thing was the New York

minutes. We had a nice pleasant visit. The funny thing was the New York Times reported that it was a secret meeting. Tucker, if you've ever been to the U.S. Embassy, you would know there's no such thing as a secret meeting

U.S. Embassy, you would know there's no such thing as a secret meeting at the U.S. Embassy. There are cameras everywhere. You walk through Marines, you walk through security, you walk through the front office, and there's a dozen or more people that are going to check you out when you come. And before you get there, you're going to have to give us your passport information. You're going to

have to be vetted and screened and all of this stuff. So the

idea that it was secret was ludicrous. The whole idea is, look, Jonathan Pollard did something that was terribly wrong. He sold secrets. He shouldn't have done it. He was

sentenced to 30 years in prison and spent 30, actually, I think he was sentenced to maybe more than 30 years, but he spent 30 years in prison. Most

people convicted of something similar, which was one count, I believe would have spent two to four, but he spent 30. I don't have a problem with him spending 30 because I think what he did was despicable. I'm not defending anything about what he did. But even people like the former director of the CIA, a number

of other senators on the Senate Foreign Relations of the Senate Intel Committee said that he should be allowed to leave and move to Israel if he wanted to. So it, to me, was not as big a deal that I had

wanted to. So it, to me, was not as big a deal that I had this basically courtesy meeting. He wanted to thank me for being nice to him when his wife