Huckabee says Iran’s ‘ultimate goal is to destroy the US’
Speaking at the Israel National Security Studies conference, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, emphasized President Donald Trump’s firm stance against allowing Iran to develop nuclear capabilities. The conference, which focused on regional security issues, featured Huckabee’s remarks highlighting the ongoing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a meeting with President Trump amid heightened tensions following Iranian missile drills. These exercises have sparked concerns among Israeli officials that Tehran might be preparing for a surprise attack, underscoring the urgency of addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and military activities ahead of their anticipated talks on December 29.
On Monday, Huckabee echoed these concerns publicly, stating that Iran’s nuclear ambitions and military actions are a direct threat to not just Israel, but also to the United States and Europe. Speaking at the Israel Institute for National Security conference, he reiterated that President Trump has been unwavering in his position on Iran.
“The president has been clear and consistent in saying that Iran will never be allowed to enrich uranium or possess a nuclear weapon,” Huckabee stated, reinforcing the administration’s stern policy on the matter.
During the conference, Huckabee further stressed the broader implications of Iran’s actions. “This threat extends beyond Israel and the United States; it poses a real danger to all of Europe,” he remarked. “If European nations fail to grasp the seriousness of this threat, it would be a grave oversight on their part.”
“It presents a threat, but not just to Israel, not just to the United States. This presents a real threat to all of Europe,” he added. “And if the Europeans don’t understand this, then they’re even dumber than I sometimes think they are.”
Huckabee suggested in his interview that Iran may not have taken that message seriously until U.S. military action earlier this year. “I don’t know that they ever took him seriously until the night that the B-2 bombers went to Fordow,” Huckabee said. “I hope they got the message, but apparently they didn’t get the full message because, as you have mentioned, they appear to be trying to reconstitute and find a new way to dig the hole deeper and secure it more,” he said at the conference.
Huckabee also framed Iran’s long-standing threats as fundamentally aimed at Washington. “Iran has threatened America for 46 consecutive years, from 1979, when the ayatollahs took power,” he said. “They’ve always said, ‘Death to Israel, death to America,’ in the same sentence.”
“Israel is only the appetizer because you’re closer, and you’re an easier target than the vast geographical expanse that represents the United States,” Huckabee continued. “But they’ve never hidden the fact that the real entrée, their ultimate goal, is to destroy the United States.”
A drone view shows an impacted residential site, following an early morning missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Be’er Sheva, June 24, 2025. (Yonatan Honig/Reuters)
The remarks come amid heightened concern in Israel over recent Iranian military activity. According to Axios, Israeli officials warned the Trump administration over the weekend that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise “could be preparations for a strike on Israel,” citing three Israeli and U.S. sources with knowledge of the issue. One Israeli source told Axios that while intelligence currently shows force movements inside Iran, Israel’s tolerance for risk is far lower than it was before Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
A senior Israeli official told Fox News Digital on background that concern over the Iranian drills is rooted in history rather than speculation. “Iran is doing drills. A concern that the drill will become a surprise attack is a real concern based on history. The Yom Kippur War started that way. I remind you, we shouldn’t ignore it,” the official said.
The source dismissed speculation that the drills signal imminent coordinated military action with Washington. “If we were planning an attack with the U.S., it probably wouldn’t make it into the media,” the official said.
President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House for a meeting on April 7, 2025. (Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
The official acknowledged that the Iranian activity has also shifted Israel’s domestic political conversation, including debate over draft evasion legislation. “The headlines in Israel are now about the Iranian threat instead of the bill,” the official said. “Is it spin? Is there something special? Is there truth? Maybe. But we always need to be prepared.”
NBC News reported on Saturday that Netanyahu plans to use his meeting with Trump to argue that Iran’s renewed expansion of its ballistic missile program poses a growing threat that could require swift action. According to the report, Netanyahu is expected to emphasize that Iran’s activities endanger not only Israel but also broader regional stability and U.S. interests.
Iranians burn American flags during an anti-U.S. demonstration outside the former U.S. embassy headquarters in Tehran, on May 9, 2018. (Ali Mohammadi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
NBC reported that Netanyahu is expected to present Trump with several options, including potential U.S. involvement or support, should Israel determine that additional military action against Iran is necessary.
Asked Thursday about a possible Dec. 29 meeting with Netanyahu, Trump told reporters, “We haven’t set it up formally, but he’d like to see me.” Israeli officials have announced that a meeting is planned for Dec. 29.
Fox News Digital reached out to Netanyahu’s spokesperson but did not get a response.
