Huckabee Says Silence on Carlson’s Hamas Remarks Enables ‘Blood Libels,’ Confirms Interview

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Monday in Jerusalem that he will sit down this week for a long interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, defending his decision to confront the media figure publicly after weeks of escalating tensions.

“This Wednesday I’m doing a long interview with Tucker Carlson. Many have asked why. I figured instead of him talking about me, he should talk to me,” Huckabee said during remarks at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Huckabee, a former Baptist minister and longtime advocate of Israel, acknowledged the controversy surrounding Carlson in recent months and said he believes direct engagement is necessary.

“I don’t recognize the Tucker of the last few years,” he said. “But we do not change the narrative by being silent in the face of misinformation. We change the narrative by pushing back. Silence is agreement. It is why some of the horrific things in human history have happened. Because people were silent in the face of blood libels and lies.”

Carlson has faced accusations from Jewish and pro-Israel groups of amplifying antisemitic narratives and minimizing Hamas’s actions.In October 2025, he referred to Christian Zionists as “the people I despise most in the world,” drawing backlash from Christian leaders and organizations. He later issued a partial retraction following public criticism.

The same month, Carlson said Hamas “seems more like a political organization,” a remark widely condemned by supporters of Israel, who argued it downplayed the group’s terrorist designation and its role in the October 7 massacre and subsequent war.

The tensions between Carlson and Huckabee intensified earlier this month after Carlson aired an episode of The Tucker Carlson Show criticizing Huckabee’s handling of issues involving Christian communities in Israel. Huckabee responded on X, writing, “Instead of talking about me, why don’t you come talk to me?” Carlson later accepted the invitation publicly, and both indicated that an interview was being arranged.

Reports subsequently claimed that Israeli officials considered denying Carlson entry ahead of his expected visit, but ultimately decided against doing so to avoid a “diplomatic incident.” The reports, carried by Channel 13 and circulated widely on Israeli social media, were not officially confirmed by Israeli authorities or U.S. officials.

Huckabee did not address the entry controversy in his remarks Monday. Instead, he framed the upcoming interview as a necessary response to what he described as misinformation and false narratives surrounding Israel and its supporters.

The interview is scheduled to take place Wednesday in Jerusalem, marking the first in-person exchange between the two since their public dispute escalated.