Tucker Carlson retracts accusation Herzog visited Epstein’s ‘pedo-island’

U.S. pundit Tucker Carlson in an online video post on Sunday retreated from his claim that Israeli President Isaac Herzog had visited the private island of the American financier and convicted child molester Jeffrey Epstein.

Carlson had made the accusation during a highly publicized interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, which aired on Feb. 20.

“The current president of Israel, whom I know you know, apparently was at ‘pedo island,’” Carlson told Huckabee. “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.”

Huckabee said he was unaware of any connection between Herzog and Epstein. Carlson pressed Huckabee about the alleged connection and criticized him for not taking more of an interest.

Carlson retreated from his claims after receiving a letter from the Israeli president’s office, denying not only that Herzog had ever been to the infamous island, but that he had any dealings with Epstein at all.

“Rarely do you get a denial this unequivocal, so for that reason we are taking it seriously. There’s nothing worse than impuging the reputation of an innocent man. And so I just want to say clearly I’m sorry to imply that I knew something I didn’t know,” Carlson said in a video posted to X.

Carlson uploaded an edited version of the video with the Herzog segment deleted.

Huckabee tweeted: “Tucker caught in an outrageous libel & outright lie against Israeli President @Isaac_Herzog & so he edited his show (something he promised me he WOULDN’T do).”