Tucker Carlson once stood firmly in the camp of mainstream conservative voices who backed Israel without hesitation. During his years at Fox News he was widely viewed as aligned with the pro Israel consensus that dominated Republican foreign policy circles.

But since his departure from Fox in 2023 many longtime supporters say something changed. What began as skepticism over foreign aid gradually evolved into pointed criticism of Israel itself. Today Carlson sits at the center of a deep internal divide within the Republican Party over America’s relationship with the Jewish state.

The latest chapter unfolded today when Carlson made a brief and highly unusual stop in Israel, meeting US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee at Ben Gurion Airport for a filmed discussion. According to reports, Carlson did not leave the airport complex at all and departed the country a few hours later, right after the debate/discussion.

The meeting followed a public exchange between the two men. After Carlson criticized Huckabee and raised concerns about Christian communities in the Holy Land, Huckabee fired back on X on February 5, writing:

“Hey @TuckerCarlson instead of talking ABOUT me, why don’t you come talk TO me?”

Carlson publicly agreed to a face to face conversation, setting the stage for the airport debate.

Some political observers believe the encounter carried broader political implications. According to Melissa Francis, a former Fox News and Fox Business anchor active in pro Israel advocacy since October 7, US President Donald Trump has directly urged Carlson and others to turn down the temperature in the internal conservative fight over Israel.

Francis said Trump has encouraged unity on the issue and pushed for calmer rhetoric. Some assume Trump may have quietly encouraged the Carlson Huckabee meeting in an effort to ease tensions within the Republican Party.

In recent months Carlson has questioned US military support for Israel and amplified arguments suggesting American involvement in the region harms US interests. Supporters argue he remains consistent with an America First worldview. Detractors say his position marks a dramatic 180 from his earlier posture.

Some critics have even speculated that Carlson’s rhetoric closely mirrors Qatari messaging. Online commentators have mockingly dubbed him Tucker Qatarlson, alleging that he is advancing narratives favorable to Doha for a paycheck. There is no public evidence that Carlson is on any foreign payroll, but the nickname reflects the intensity of frustration among pro Israel conservatives.

Whether the airport debate signals reconciliation or deepens the divide remains to be seen. What is clear is that Carlson’s evolution on Israel has become a defining fault line inside the modern Republican Party.