A former U.S. ambassador has slammed Mike Huckabee as a "dangerous" "true and utter nut case," after the former Governor of Arkansas was nominated by the President-elect as U.S. ambassador to Israel.
Huckabee is a staunch supporter of Israel, and his nomination comes following Donald Trump's commitment to align U.S. foreign policy with Israel's interests in its ongoing conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah.
In response to the news, Luis Moreno, a former U.S. ambassador, posted on X, formerly Twitter: "I unfortunately was exposed to him during his visits to Israel back in the day. Full blown (and knowledgeable) fanatic of the End of Times, Apocalypse, Israel's destruction, etc. A true and utter nut case. Couldn't be a more dangerous selection."
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump campaign, Moreno and Huckabee via email outside normal working hours for comment.
A user commented on Moreno's post "I hear he's a total a***hole. Feel bad for my former foreign service colleagues," to which Moreno responded, "he is."
Moreno had a 34-year career in foreign service. Between 2007 and 2010, he served as the Deputy Chief of Mission for Israel and was the U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica from December of 2014 to 2017.
"I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, has been nominated to be The United States Ambassador to Israel," Trump said in a statement.
He continued: "Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years. 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!"
After being nominated by the President, a diplomat undergoes background checks, Senate hearings, a confirmation vote, takes an oath of office, receives briefings, and then departs to their post.
Huckabee has not held a diplomatic post before. He told NewsNation back in June that he does not support a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Moreno is a frequent and vocal critic of Trump. He worked under former President Barack Obama's administration, and supported Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Responding to the presidential election result, he wrote: "Trump won in 2016 because so many White people couldn't come to grips with a Black man as President for 8 years. In 2024, America seems to be incapable of electing a highly qualified, superior candidate who happens to be Black woman. What does that say about us?"
Moreno has been outspoken on the Israel-Hamas war, and advocated for a two-state solution. In October he wrote on X, that: "A fair, equitable two state solution (easier said than done) is the ONLY way forward."
A two-state solution between Israel and Palestine would include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Some believe this is the only path to peace in the region, but others do not agree.
On October 7 last year, Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping around 250 hostages. An estimated 100 remain in Gaza, but fewer than 70 are believed to be alive. Israel retaliated, launching a war on Gaza which has claimed the lives of over 43,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
A majority of Israeli's cannot foresee a peaceful coexistence with a Palestinian state, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center conducted between March 3 and April 4, 2024. Only 26 percent of respondents told Pew they believed a way can be found for Israel and a Palestinian state "to coexist peacefully." Fifty percent said they did not believe it was possible at all, and 20 percent said it depended on future developments.
Historically, many Palestinians have supported the establishment of a Palestinian state. A poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in early 2024 indicated support in Gaza nearly doubled from 35 percent in December to 62 percent by March, however support in the West Bank for a two-state solution has declined, with the same poll reporting a decrease from 43 percent to 37 percent in the same period.
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