On Wednesday (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump signed the official appointment for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to become the United States Ambassador to Israel. This announcement came after the U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment earlier that day with a vote of 53 in favour and 46 against.

Trump praised Huckabee's confirmation as the new Israeli Envoy, saying he would be "fantastic" in the role. "He's going to be fantastic. He's going to bring home the bacon, even though bacon isn't too big in Israel. I had to clear that up. Congratulations to Mike Huckabee," Trump said.

"I am Grateful to a great Donald Trump and look forward to serving!" the Baptist minister said in appreciation of President Trump.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the move in a statement after the announcement, calling it a "great day for the Israeli-American alliance." 

"Congratulations to my dear friend Mike Huckabee upon being confirmed as the next ambassador of the United States to Israel. This is a great day for the Israeli-American alliance. I look forward to working with you to make the unbreakable bond between our two nations even stronger," Netanyahu said in a statement. Mike Huckabee, who previously served as the Governor of Arkansas and is also known as a TV host, has taken on several public service roles. He is well known for his strong support for Israel and is expected to start his new role as ambassador in the next few days. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel plans to quickly end its trade deficit with the United States, especially during this time of global market instability caused by U.S. tariff issues. 

During a bilateral meeting with President Trump at The White House, Netanyahu stated, "We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States. We intend to do it very quickly. We think it's the right thing to do and we're going to also eliminate trade barriers," also noting that Israel could also serve as a "model for many countries" who ought to do the same. Netanyahu also thanked President Trump for inviting him to the White House. He called Trump a "remarkable friend" of Israel and said that Trump keeps his promises.