US scrambles to ease tensions over Huckabee’s ‘Greater Israel’ comments

Senior State Department officials contacted Arab partners to clarify Huckabee’s remarks were personal views, not a policy shift.

By World Israel News Staff

Senior officials in the Trump administration have been quietly engaging with Arab governments in recent days in an effort to ease diplomatic tensions following controversial remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, according to a report by Politico.

The outreach came after Huckabee’s comments during a podcast interview with Tucker Carlson triggered widespread condemnation across the Middle East.

Several regional governments, including Jordan and Egypt, described the remarks as “dangerous” and inflammatory, warning they risk escalating already heightened tensions.

According to Politico, senior State Department figures, including Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau and Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, contacted multiple Arab partners to clarify that Huckabee’s statements reflected his personal views and did not represent a change in official U.S. policy.

Three individuals familiar with the diplomatic outreach said American officials sought to reassure allies that Washington’s regional position remains unchanged.

The State Department declined to comment publicly on the discussions.

The controversy stems from an interview in which Carlson cited a biblical passage describing God’s promise to Abraham of land extending from “the wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates,” suggesting that such borders could encompass much of the modern Middle East.

During the exchange, Huckabee acknowledged the biblical reference described “a big piece of land” and said Israel’s connection to the territory was rooted in faith and history, adding that “it would be fine if they took it all,” while also stressing that Israel has no intention of expanding into neighboring countries.

Despite those clarifications, the remarks prompted coordinated criticism from Arab and Muslim states.

A joint declaration signed by more than a dozen countries and regional organizations expressed “strong condemnation and profound concern” over the remarks.

The statement warned that suggestions Israel could control territory belonging to Arab states constitute “a flagrant violation of the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.” It added that such rhetoric poses “a grave threat to the security and stability of the region.”

The administration’s response reflects the importance placed on preserving cooperation with Arab allies amid an already tense regional climate.