Mike Huckabee, President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Israel, is fiercely attacking Tucker Carlson in the wake of a highly publicized interview between the two.
When I sat down with Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, I was expecting a thoughtful conversation and that he would ask questions and give me the opportunity to actually respond--just like he did with the little Nazi sympathizer Nick Fuentes or the guy who thought Hitler was the good…
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 21, 2026
“What I wasn’t anticipating was a lengthy series of questions where he seemed to be insinuating that the Jews of today aren’t really same people as the Jews of the Bible.”
Huckabee continued:
I’ll first just say something I didn’t think to say to Tucker, which is that Ashkenazi Jews, meaning those who families had spent centuries in Europe, are a minority of Israel’s Jewish population, only maybe 35-40%. There are far more Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews inside Israel.
But there’s a good reason, as it turns out, that I had never encountered this theory that Tucker kept pushing on. That’s because it comes from some of the darkest realms of the Internet and social media.
I think it’s important to take a moment now and educate Tucker and anyone else who might get sucked in by this dangerous conspiracy theory, just as I have been educated this week.
I’m sharing this information because it has been weaponized by very bad people to delegitimize Jews and strip them of their history.
It’s an idea that gained traction in the 80’s and 90’s with David Duke and other Klansmen and neo-Nazis. It has really caught fire in recent years on the Internet and social media, mostly from some of the most overt anti-Semites and Jew haters you can find.
I don’t know why Tucker was so fixated on this, and I’m certainly not saying he knew the origins of this conspiracy theory. I don’t know what’s in his heart or what he was thinking.
But I do know that the discredited idea that most Ashkenazi or European Jews descended from the ancient Turkic kingdom of Khazaria is bunk. It’s also been weaponized by people trying to deligitimize Jews, to strip them of their history, and to call them “imposters” or “fake Jews.”
This odious conspiracy theory is peddled by the likes of Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes and by people who love David Duke, as well as Islamist accounts that make up false smears about Israel non-stop and are run out of countries like Pakistan and Turkey.
But we know from genetics and rich volumes of written literature that the Jews of today can trace their lineage back thousands of years to the Israel and the Jewish people of the Bible.
They are as connected together as genetics tell us that the ancient Khazar kingdom is to people living today in Turkey.
And if Tucker wants to tour more than Ben-Gurion Airport on his next trip to Israel, I’m happy to show him places where Jews have lived going back to the time of Jesus Christ and even earlier.
I sincerely hope Tucker will let me know when he actually wants to learn facts about the land and people. Asking me about conspiracy theories should remain on the fringes and not be the heart of the conversation.
After watching Carlson’s edited program, Huckabee noted: “I spewed Gatorade on my keyboard over this clip.”
Carlson had said: “Can you feel the resentment? ‘Cause it’s real. I’m not against Israel. I’m against the total destruction …
“You hide that very well,” Huckabee leaned in to interrupt the former Fox News anchor.
I spewed Gatorade on my keyboard over this clip. https://t.co/5NiVaZlbk2
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 21, 2026
Tucker and I had a very twisty and frankly confusing discussion about the meaning of Zionism.
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 21, 2026
Now, I have no idea if Tucker was trying to be difficult or we were just talking past each other, but he started out the discussion on Zionism by saying he wanted to ask me in my…
Now, I have no idea if Tucker was trying to be difficult or we were just talking past each other, but he started out the discussion on Zionism by saying he wanted to ask me in my capacity as a former Baptist minister about the “theology” of Christian Zionism.
But, he kept dragging it to discussions about other topics, literally other countries, things that have nothing to do with theology and certainly not with Israel, Zionism, or anything else.
So let me just make it really clear.
Since Tucker actually seemed more interested in the definition of political Zionism, it’s simple: Zionism is the belief that Israel has a right to exist in safety and security. That’s it. Pretty simple and straightforward.
Lots of Christians who don’t have a theological basis for supporting Israel are actually Zionists because they support Israel’s right to exist in safety and security.
The last two Popes, for example, both came here to Israel, Pope Benedict in May 2009 and Pope Francis in May 2014, and both of them said the exact same words:
“Let it be universally recognized that the State of Israel has the right to exist, and to enjoy peace and security within internationally agreed borders.”
Pope John Paul II, arguably one of the most influential of anyone in the Christian faith and a remarkable man was also a “Christian Zionist.”
Tucker, I couldn’t get you to say you support Israel’s right to exist during our interview. But as I told you then and I’ll say it again, someone doesn’t need to believe it’s commanded by the Bible in order to be a Zionist. But if one DOES believe the Bible (and I do) then it’s even more compelling.
All you need to do is believe that Israel has a right to exist.
Why can’t you just say that? I asked you multiple times during our interview and not once did you give me a direct answer. You refused to say whether or not Israel has a right to exist. I hope you will state your answer to that simple question soon.
Huckabee is getting positive reaction both in America and Israel.
Thank you @GovMikeHuckabee for your willingness to endure abuse, bad faith, and dishonesty, because in your selfless act you smoked him (with class) & exposed a bad actor for the world to see. No fair-minded person can continue to deny that something is terribly off with Tucker. https://t.co/FSvv6V0i2e
— David Limbaugh (@DavidLimbaugh) February 21, 2026
Amir Ohana, the speaker of Israel’s Knesset, said: “If I were an American, I would take great pride in knowing that a wise, steadfast, and brilliant gentleman such as @GovMikeHuckabee represents my country. Especially in the face of Tucker’s falsehoods and manipulations. Well done, my friend. And he’s a great guitar player too.”
If I were an American, I would take great pride in knowing that a wise, steadfast, and brilliant gentleman such as @GovMikeHuckabee represents my country.
— Amir Ohana - אמיר אוחנה (@AmirOhana) February 21, 2026
Especially in the face of Tucker’s falsehoods and manipulations. Well done, my friend 🇺🇸🇮🇱
And he’s a great 🎸 player too https://t.co/adFPWcnX2c pic.twitter.com/NEVR8gP9u6
Qatarlson needs serious psychiatric help. No joke. https://t.co/X9TEeGZ2ZF
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) February 22, 2026
On a more positive note, Huckabee was thrilled the United States men’s hockey team won the gold medal Sunday at the Winter Olympics in Italy, defeating Canada in overtime with the game-winning goal scored by Jack Hughes, a Jewish American.
What??? The guy scoring goal for 1st USA Gold Medal in hockey since 1980 is a Jew? Oh my. I'm sure the Jew-haters will say Mossad was behind it!
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 22, 2026
I say just celebrate the incredible victory for the USA & be grateful for Jack Hughes love for the USA & his teammates! https://t.co/0N9u99KP1G
I love this guy! Brought tears to my eyes to see his love for the USA! 🇺🇸 I love people who love America & understand the privilege of being American! https://t.co/o4HXIGL00C
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 22, 2026
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH MIKE HUCKABEE:
The Mike Huckabee interview, and the truth about America’s deeply unhealthy relationship with Israel.
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 21, 2026
(0:00) Why We Were Interrogated in Israel
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WATCH: Tucker Carlson sits down with Ambassador Mike Huckabee in Israel
