US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has remained a paid promoter of the Relaxium sleep supplement while serving in one of the administration’s most high-profile diplomatic roles, a new report by NOTUS states.
According to the report, Huckabee has continued appearing in advertisements for the Florida-based American Behavioral Research Institute, the manufacturer of Relaxium. The company touts the supplement as a blend of non‑drug ingredients aimed at improving sleep. Huckabee’s recorded endorsements had been running on television and on the supplement’s website until they were removed shortly after NOTUS contacted the company.
One of the commercials featuring Huckabee, originally aired in 2023
The ambassador’s financial disclosure filed with the US Office of Government Ethics shows he received more than $400,000 in endorsement fees from Relaxium’s makers in the year before his nomination. He also reported that he expected further residual payments from earlier licensing agreements. In a previous ethics filing, he stated that he had licensed his name and image before taking office and would continue receiving payments from those existing agreements.
The US Embassy in Jerusalem told NOTUS that the ads currently circulating were produced before Huckabee entered government service and do not identify him by his diplomatic title. The embassy noted that Huckabee cannot legally compel the manufacturer to remove his likeness from existing promotional material.
Regulatory scrutiny has surrounded Relaxium’s maker in recent years. Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning citing problems found during an inspection, and in 2023 the company paid a court-ordered judgment following allegations it failed to properly inform customers about subscription renewals. The embassy did not address questions regarding whether Huckabee had concerns about these developments.
Some ethics experts quoted in the report criticized Huckabee’s ongoing association with a commercial product while holding public office, arguing that the situation risks creating the appearance of private gain through public service.
Huckabee’s tenure as President Donald Trump’s ambassador has unfolded during a turbulent period, including conflict in Gaza, regional attacks on Israeli shipping, and US-Israel operations involving Iran. He has faced political controversy as well, including a previously undisclosed meeting with Jonathan Pollard.
Huckabee’s next financial disclosure is expected in May, though he is permitted to request an extension that could delay publication until August. Embassy officials did not say whether he is currently receiving Relaxium-related payments, noting only that any such income would appear in his annual report.