Trump appointed Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday named former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel. This choice may reflect future US policy regarding conflicts in the Middle East. UNN reports according to Reuters.

Mike Huckabee “loves Israel and the Israeli people, and the Israeli people love him,” the president said in a statement. The next step will be confirmation of Huckabee, 69, by the Senate. Republicans have a majority in the Senate.

Mike Huckabee is a Baptist pastor-turned-politician, a leading figure on the conservative Christian right, and an opponent of LGBT+ rights. He was the Republican presidential candidate twice, including in 2016, when he was defeated by Trump.