US envoy says Israel taking biblical lands “would be fine”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said it “would be fine” if Israel were to take control of territory described in a biblical passage as extending from the Nile River to the Euphrates, remarks delivered during a televised interview that drew widespread attention after excerpts circulated online.

Huckabee made the comments while appearing on The Tucker Carlson Show, hosted by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. The conversation focused on interpretations of religious texts, the boundaries of the modern State of Israel, and the broader relationship between theology and geopolitics.

BREAKING: US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee tells Tucker Carlson that Israel has the Biblical right to take over all of the Middle East.

“It would be fine if they took it all.” pic.twitter.com/BN4fXh03ga

— Tucker Carlson Network (@TCNetwork) February 20, 2026

During the discussion, Carlson read aloud a passage from the Book of Genesis describing land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants, noting that the territory referenced in the scripture stretches far beyond Israel’s current borders and would encompass large parts of today’s Middle East.

“So God gave that land -- basically the entire Middle East,” Carlson said, asking Huckabee whether Israel therefore had a right to that territory.

“It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee replied.

Carlson then asked whether such an interpretation would include present-day countries such as Jordan. Huckabee responded that Israel was not seeking control over neighbouring states and was not pursuing territorial expansion.

“They don’t want to take it,” Huckabee said. “They’re not asking to take it over.”

As the interview continued, Huckabee clarified the context of his earlier remark, describing it as exaggerated and characterising it as “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement.” He stressed that the exchange was part of a theological discussion rather than a policy proposal or endorsement of territorial expansion.

Huckabee emphasised that Israel’s primary concern was security and survival, not conquest, adding that his comments were not meant to suggest redrawing borders based on biblical claims. He said Israel’s focus remains on defending the territory it currently controls and ensuring the safety of its population.

By Tamilla Hasanova