Trump Selects Huckabee for US Ambassador to Israel Post
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he has nominated former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be the United States ambassador to Israel. Huckabee, a two-time Republican presidential candidate and a fervent supporter of Israel, is expected to bolster Trump’s commitment to strengthening US-Israel relations and pursuing peace in the Middle East.
“Mike has been a great public servant, governor, and leader in faith for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East!”
Huckabee, who served as Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007, has been a vocal advocate for Israel throughout his career. He has visited Israel over 100 times and has been involved with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, leading missions and solidarity trips since 1981.
Israeli officials welcomed the nomination with enthusiasm. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reacted on social media by posting “Mike Huckabee” alongside an American flag, a heart, and an Israeli flag. Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, congratulated Huckabee, saying, “Welcome to Israel, Ambassador Huckabee! Congratulations to my dear friend Gov. Mike Huckabee on being selected as the next US ambassador to Israel. I look forward to continuing to work with you and to strengthening the eternal bond our two countries share!”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also expressed his anticipation of working with Huckabee to “strengthen the bond between our peoples,” adding, “As a longstanding friend of Israel and our eternal capital Jerusalem, I hope you will feel very much at home.”
David Friedman, who served as US ambassador to Israel during former President Trump’s first term, praised the nomination. “He is a dear friend and he will have my full support,” Friedman said. “Congrats Mike on getting the best job in the world!” He added that Huckabee’s appointment “speaks volumes to the importance and priority that President Trump places on the US-Israel relationship.”
Huckabee has been critical of President Joe Biden’s handling of US-Israel relations, particularly since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. In a September interview with Newsmax, Huckabee stated, “For Joe Biden to even for a moment think that he knows better how to handle the situation than [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu]… It’s an embarrassment to me as an American.” He urged the Biden Administration to apply pressure on Hamas and Iran rather than on Israel.
Known for his strong support of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Huckabee has rejected the term “settlements,” preferring to call them “communities” or “neighborhoods.” In 2017, he participated in laying a cornerstone for a new neighborhood in Maale Adumim, one of the largest Israeli settlements, around 5 miles east of Jerusalem. “I think Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria,” Huckabee said, using the biblical names for the West Bank.
Huckabee’s daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is the current governor of Arkansas and previously served as Trump’s White House press secretary. Huckabee himself is a former Southern Baptist pastor and has not previously served as an overseas diplomat.
If confirmed by the Senate, Huckabee will be instrumental in supporting Trump’s foreign policy agenda in the Middle East, including efforts to resolve the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
