Trump's Own Envoy Defies Him Over Israel: "US Owes Its Existence to Israel"

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee publicly broke with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, declaring that America's very existence is rooted in Israel, a direct inversion of Trump's own statement made just hours earlier at the G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains, France.

Huckabee made the remarks at a conference, telling attendees, "Without Israel, without the Jewish foundation, there would not be America. We owe our very existence to what happened in this land."

He continued by challenging anyone who disputes the Jewish connection to the land: "Anyone who says that there is not a direct connection between the Jewish people and this land, the only way they could come to that conclusion is to close their eyes, close their ears, close their minds, and completely ignore that which even the stones cry out to say. This is God's plan for God's people and we should celebrate it."

Huckabee also invoked what he described as the Jewish people's historical resilience, saying:

"All of the attempt to bury the Jewish people has resulted in not just in coming back but digging it all up and dancing all over that which Herod intended to be the final chapter of the Jewish people. Here they are in their own land, stronger, better than ever. And it is the ultimate way that God is saying to the world, 'I am not finished with the Jewish people and I am not finished with Israel.'"

Trump's Counter-Narrative at the G7

Trump said at a G7 meeting with Qatari Emir Tamim, "Without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did”.

"Israel would have been blown up a long time ago, had I not gotten involved," he added.

The divergence between the president and his own envoy drew immediate attention, coming at a moment of intense diplomatic activity.

The G7 summit unfolded as Trump and Iran finalized a truce expected to be formalized in Switzerland on Friday, a deal nearly derailed when Israel launched strikes against a Hezbollah command center in Beirut.

Huckabee's Role and Prior Controversies

This is not the first time Huckabee's statements have clashed with broader U.S. policy positions.

In February 2026, Huckabee sparked outrage across the Arab world after saying "it would be fine" if Israel took over large swaths of the Middle East, prompting a joint condemnation from the foreign ministries of over a dozen Arab and Muslim nations, including U.S. allies Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

At the time, the joint statement said his remarks "directly contradict the vision put forward by U.S. President Donald J. Trump.”

Huckabee was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Israel by a 53-46 Senate vote, with Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania being the only Democrat to support his confirmation.