Senior officials in the Trump administration have contacted several Arab governments in recent days in an effort to ease concerns over remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, according to a report by Politico.
According to the report, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, and other officials reached out to regional counterparts to clarify that Huckabee’s comments in a podcast interview reflected his personal views and did not signal a change in US policy.
The outreach followed an interview released Friday on the Tucker Carlson Show, in which Huckabee discussed biblical references to land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. During the exchange, Huckabee said, “It would be fine if they took it all," while adding that Israel is not seeking to control the entire region and is focused on protecting its people and the areas it currently administers.
Tucker Carlson later posted an edited clip of the remarks on social media, which critics said took Huckabee’s comments out of context. The US Embassy in Jerusalem said over the weekend that the ambassador’s words had been mischaracterized.
Multiple governments expressed alarm over the remarks, viewing them as inconsistent with President Donald Trump’s stated position opposing Israeli annexation of Judea and Samaria. More than a dozen countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, issued a joint statement condemning the comments as inflammatory and at odds with diplomatic efforts related to Gaza.
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment, Politico reported.
The controversy comes as the Trump administration seeks cooperation from Arab and Muslim-majority states regarding its plans for Gaza. The report noted that regional support is also considered important in the broader context of US strategic interests.
One senior diplomat from a Gulf country told Politico that statements touching on the sovereignty of Arab states could complicate efforts to promote regional integration that includes Israel. Another official, speaking anonymously, said Huckabee’s views do not represent administration policy.
Huckabee has since criticized media coverage of the interview, arguing that his remarks were presented without full context. He has also taken issue with Carlson’s handling of the exchange.
Huckabee, a longtime supporter of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, made clear in the interview that Israel is not pursuing control over the broader Middle East. He described his initial phrasing as hyperbolic later in the discussion.
The episode has drawn significant attention across the region, prompting diplomatic engagement aimed at reaffirming Washington’s official stance while containing fallout from the remarks.