Tucker Carlson forced to apologize to Israel's president for implying he went to Epstein's pedo island
By Eliot Force
Daily Mail
Feb 22, 2026
Celebrity journalist Tucker Carlson apologized for implying that Israel's president visited Jeffrey Epstein's island during an interview. Carlson is pictured in his apology video
Tucker Carlson apologized for implying that Israel's president visited Jeffrey Epstein's 'pedo island' in a video posted to X on Saturday.
Carlson, the former FOX News host and celebrity journalist, made the suggestion during an interview with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, which was released on Friday.
In a two-minute video that has received 1.5 million views in less than 24 hours, Carlson said that he received a 'long letter' from Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office, 'denying unequivocally that he had any contact with Epstein, ever.'
'I've gotten a lot of letters like this over the years from people alleging, "oh you got it wrong," but rarely do you get a denial this unequivocal,' Carlson said.
'So for that reason, we are taking it seriously. There's nothing worse than impugning the reputation of an innocent man,' the journalist continued. 'So I just want to say, clearly, I'm sorry to imply that I knew something I didn't know.'
The Israeli president's office sent the letter after Carlson had asked Huckabee about an email in the Epstein files that said someone named 'Herzog' was going to Epstein's infamous island, Little Saint James.
'The current president of Israel, whom I know you know, apparently was at "pedo island." That’s what it says,' Carlson told Huckabee during the two-hour interview.
'Still-living, high-level Israeli officials are directly implicated in Epstein’s life, if not his crimes, so I think you’d be following this.'
Carlson said he asked about Israeli President Isaac Herzog (pictured) visiting Epstein's island, because an email in the Epstein files suggested he did so
Carlson referred to Epstein's pictured, infamous island of Little Saint James as 'pedo island' during the interview
The ambassador to Israel immediately replied that the claim was untrue.
Carlson also referred to a false report made by The Times reporter Gabrielle Weiniger, who had recently posted a doctored photo of Herzog with Epstein. The reporter later corrected her mistake and said the photo was an 'AI fake.'
In his apology video, Carlson explained that the email he had asked Huckabee about was dated to 2014, and it was sent by Epstein to his friend Leon Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management.
In that email, Carlson said, Black was invited to Little Saint James and was told that other people, including someone named Herzog, would be there.
Carlson said he asked Huckabee about the email twice, but the ambassador denied knowledge of it.
The celebrity journalist said: 'At the time I said that, there had been news items about this. In fact, there was a protest against Herzog on the basis of this email when he went to Australia recently, and he hadn't responded to any of that.'
Carlson concluded his apology video by saying: 'I also wanted to air his side of this. Again, President Herzog says he's never had any contact with Epstein, ever, and so I just want to say that in the interest of honesty and transparency.'
Although Carlson was forced to apologize for some of his questions during the interview with Huckabee, the ambassador to Israel was criticized for comments he made as well.
Carlson's interview was with the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee (pictured). The interview was published on Friday, and Huckabee denied Carlson's suggestion
In his apology video, Carlson said he regularly receives letters alleging that he got something wrong, but 'but rarely do you get a denial this unequivocal'
Herzog's office sent Carlson a letter that claimed the Israeli president did not know Epstein at all and that they never even spoke. Epstein is pictured in a photo released by the Justice Department in December
Carlson explained that he asked about the email suggesting Herzog had visited Little Saint James because it was in the news and had even sparked a protest in Australia. A moment from that protest is pictured
Carlson stated that, according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham are entitled to land that today encompasses much of the Middle East.
In response to whether Israel had a right to that land, Huckabee said: 'It would be fine if they took it all'.
He added that Israel was not seeking to expand its territory and has a right to maintain security on the land it legitimately holds.
'We're talking about this land that Israel, the state of Israel, now lives in and wants to have peace in. They're not trying to take over Jordan. They're not trying to take over Syria,' Huckabee said.
Despite that clarification, the ambassador's words drew rebukes from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States.
The interview came amidst rising tensions between the US and Iran, with the two countries now on a war footing.
The US has sent more than 60 attack aircraft to a military base in Jordan, satellite images showed on Friday. The fleet is triple the size that is normally stationed there.
Another US fleet was also seen at a Portuguese air base on Saturday.
Carlson's interview with Huckabee came amidst rising tensions between the US, Israel and Iran. The US has sent more than 60 attack aircraft to a military base in Jordan. Military aircraft at a Jordan airbase from an earlier date are pictured
Satellite images from January revealed the large buildup of aircraft at the Jordanian air base. President Trump has threatened to strike Iran in the coming days
The US, Israel and Iran have been at odds before, including last year's 12-day war, when the US and Israel bombed key nuclear and military sites in Iran.
Donald Trump has alluded to striking Iran again in the coming days, telling reporters on Friday that he was considering military action to pressure Iranian officials to negotiate the terms of the country's nuclear program.
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