Lead: On Feb. 22, 2026, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told podcaster Tucker Carlson that it “would be fine” if Israel took lands stretching from Egypt to Iraq, a comment that drew widespread condemnation from Arab and Islamic leaders over the weekend. Huckabee, a former Baptist minister and evangelical supporter of Israel, later said his words were qualified and the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem said the remarks were taken out of context. The exchange aired as part of a two-hour interview and immediately prompted diplomatic and public backlash across the Middle East. Governments and commentators flagged the statement as inflammatory given the region’s fragile diplomatic balances.
Key Takeaways
- On Feb. 22, 2026, Ambassador Mike Huckabee told Tucker Carlson that it “would be fine” if Israel took territory described in Genesis 15, a phrase that refers to lands from Egypt to the Euphrates River in modern-day Iraq.
- The interview with Carlson lasted roughly two hours; the specific contested line was widely circulated after the program aired Friday.
- Arab and Islamic states issued denunciations over the weekend, describing the remark as destabilizing to regional diplomacy and peace efforts.
- The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem released a statement saying the ambassador’s comments had been taken out of context and that they did not reflect a change in U.S. policy.
- Huckabee later offered qualifications to his remark, saying he was speaking from a religious perspective rather than articulating formal U.S. territorial policy.
- The exchange revived long-standing sensitivities about biblical claims and modern state borders, complicating U.S. diplomatic engagement in the region.
Background
Mike Huckabee was confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Israel after a political career that included a period as a Baptist minister and high-profile support for Israel among evangelical constituencies. His appointment had already attracted attention because of his religious views and prior public statements on the Middle East. U.S.-Israel ties are multifaceted, encompassing security cooperation, diplomatic coordination, and contentious debates over settlements and borders.
Claims that cite biblical texts, such as Genesis 15’s promise to Abraham, have periodically surfaced in public discourse and can trigger diplomatic alarm when voiced by senior officials. Modern international borders—established through treaties, wars and diplomacy—do not map neatly onto religious or historical narratives, and invoking scriptural territorial claims can be seen as endorsing unilateral changes. Regional governments, particularly Arab states, view such claims as existentially sensitive and often respond quickly to perceived threats to sovereignty.
Main Event
The contested passage came during a detailed interview on Tucker Carlson’s program on Friday, Feb. 20–21 (aired Feb. 22, 2026), when Carlson asked Huckabee to clarify what territory he meant in discussing biblical promises. Huckabee referenced Genesis 15 and when pressed about borders he replied, according to the published transcript, that “it would be fine if they took it all,” accompanying the remark with a sweeping gesture.
Video and excerpts of the exchange circulated rapidly on social media and in regional media outlets, prompting swift statements from several Arab capitals and international commentators. Officials called for clarifications and reassurances that U.S. policy toward modern borders had not changed. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a brief response saying the ambassador’s comments had been taken out of context and emphasizing that U.S. policy remains committed to regional stability.
Huckabee subsequently said he had been expressing a theological belief rather than making a policy pronouncement, and he offered qualifications in follow-up remarks. Nonetheless, diplomats noted the difficulty of containing fallout when a senior representative’s informal comments touch on territorial claims involving multiple sovereign states.
Analysis & Implications
For U.S. diplomacy, the episode poses an immediate reputational problem: statements by an ambassador can be interpreted abroad as reflecting the host government’s stance, even when later retracted or qualified. In a region where trust is limited and memories of past conflicts are vivid, a single high-profile comment can complicate ongoing negotiations and confidence-building measures. Arab governments typically respond quickly to public statements seen as undermining territorial integrity, increasing pressure on Washington to provide explicit reassurances.
For Israel and the Palestinians, remarks that appear to endorse expansive territorial claims risk inflaming already charged domestic politics and empower hard-line constituencies on both sides. Palestinian officials and their regional backers may view such rhetoric as further diminishing prospects for a negotiated settlement based on mutually agreed borders. Conversely, Israeli factions that favor maximal territorial claims could use the moment to press for political leverage, though most Israeli governments operate within the constraints of international diplomacy.
Domestically in the United States, the episode cuts across partisan and religious fault lines. Huckabee’s evangelical base may view his comments through a theological lens, while mainstream diplomats and lawmakers emphasize statecraft norms and the separation between private religious beliefs and official policy. The White House and State Department will likely need to manage congressional scrutiny and allied concerns to prevent longer-term damage to U.S. credibility in the Middle East.
Comparison & Data
| Source | Claim |
|---|---|
| Genesis 15 (biblical) | Describes a promise of land extending “from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates” (interpreted broadly as Egypt to parts of modern Iraq). |
| Modern international borders | Territories between Egypt and Iraq encompass multiple sovereign states (Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and parts of surrounding countries); borders are governed by international law and treaties. |
The table contrasts a religious-historical reference with the realities of modern state borders. While the biblical passage is a matter of theological interpretation, contemporary diplomacy operates on the basis of sovereignty, treaties and recognized boundaries. Invoking scriptural claims in official fora therefore carries symbolic weight but lacks legal force in modern international relations.
Reactions & Quotes
“It would be fine if they took it all.”
Mike Huckabee
The ambassador’s succinct wording became the focal point of criticism because it appeared to endorse sweeping territorial acquisition; Huckabee later said he was speaking from religious belief rather than announcing policy.
“The remarks were taken out of context,”
U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem (official statement)
The embassy response sought to limit diplomatic fallout by separating the ambassador’s personal comments from formal U.S. policy and stressing continuity in Washington’s approach to regional borders.
Unconfirmed
- Detailed, formal protest notes from specific Arab governments (text of any parliamentary or diplomatic démarches) have not been independently published in full at the time of this report.
- The interview’s private exchanges or unedited footage that might change context have not been released publicly; assessments rely on published excerpts and the aired segment.
Bottom Line
The ambassador’s Feb. 22, 2026 remarks touched on a sensitive intersection of religion and statecraft, prompting swift regional backlash and a U.S. Embassy effort to contain diplomatic damage. Even when later qualified, such statements can have outsized effects because they feed media cycles and heighten mistrust among governments with fraught histories.
Policymakers will need to reaffirm clear, written positions on borders and negotiations to reassure regional partners and preserve channels for diplomacy. Observers should watch for formal diplomatic démarches, any changes in public messaging from Washington, and responses from key regional actors that could indicate whether this episode has lasting consequences for bilateral relations.
Sources
- The New York Times (news report)