Trump picks Mike Huckabee as US ambassador to Israel

President-elect Trump announced Tuesday he will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) to serve as ambassador to Israel, a major diplomatic role that will take on added importance amid heightened tensions 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!"

For more than a year, Israel has carried out war against Hamas following the terrorist group's October 2023 attacks that killed more than 1,000 Israeli citizens. Trump has urged Israel to "finish the problem," even as he has been critical of how it has carried out its military campaign.

Tensions have also been on the rise between Israel and Hezbollah, the militant group with a major presence in Lebanon.

Huckabee served as governor of Arkansas from 1996-2007, winning two full terms after taking over for former Gov. Jim Guy Tucker (R), who resigned. He ran unsuccessful presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2016.

Huckabee has sometimes weighed in on the current war in Gaza, telling NewsNation in June that he did not see a reason to support an Israel-Hamas cease-fire, maintaining that the terrorist group should not be negotiated with and that the only way to end the war was its complete surrender.

The former governor has not held a diplomatic post previously. His nomination, which will require confirmation by the Senate, comes as Trump will face pressure to quell tensions in the Middle East.

He was reportedly offered the role of ambassador to Israel during Trump's first term in office, though he denied those reports. He did not serve in the first Trump administration, but his daughter, current Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), had a stint as Trump's White House press secretary.

Trump's ambassador to Israel during his first term was David Friedman, who worked on brokering the Abraham Accords, which aimed to normalize relations between Israel and Arab nations.