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Mike Huckabee Confirmed As U.S. Ambassador to Israel

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  April 09, 2025 3:15 PM

On Wednesday, former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) was confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to Israel. The 53-46 vote, the same as Tuesday's vote to advance the nomination, was not solely along party lines, as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted both to advance the nomination and to confirm Huckabee. 

Huckabee has already been in the news this week, and in a way that's sure to help Israel, as he warned that President Donald Trump "is not kidding around" when it comes to putting Iran in its place, and thus the hostile nation had "better take [Trump] seriously."

Last November, not long after Trump nominated Huckabee to the position, the former governor also previewed an expansion of the Abraham Accords negotiated by the president during his first term. The historic moment took place in September 2020 on the South Lawn of the White House, where Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. 

Huckabee has received considerable support for the new position, including from all Republican senators plus Fetterman, as well as the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC).

In a post congratulating Huckabee on his confirmation, the RJC declared in part that "Israel has had no greater friend in the White House than President Trump, and Ambassador Huckabee will serve with distinction as part of the Trump administration's Pro-Israel Dream Team."

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In a column posted for Townhall last month, "Confirm Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel," Star Parker also communicated her support for Huckabee, and expressed concerns that Democrats were holding up the nomination. 

"If anyone is qualified to be America's ambassador to Israel, it is Mike Huckabee," she wrote at one point, also later adding that "Huckabee is a great American patriot who also loves the state of Israel and understands that the latter in no way diminishes the former. Rather, Huckabee's support of Israel is a consequence of his American patriotism because he understands the common principles that drive the success of both countries."

Fetterman has been a particularly pro-Israel Democrat who has faced harassment on several occasions, from pro-Hamas agitators, as has his family. He has also voted for several other Trump nominees. 

Not all were happy with Huckabee's confirmation, however. In addition to most Democrats voting against Huckabee, anti-Israel groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow threw a particular fit with their statements. 

Later on Wednesday, Pete Hoekstra was also confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to Canada. He previously served as a congressman for Michigan's 2nd Congressional District and the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands.