Nov 20, 2025 - News

Mike Huckabee confirms he met with convicted spy

Worth Sparkman

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee delivers remarks as President Donald Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a dinner in the Blue Room of the White House on July 7, 2025, in Washington, DC. Trump is hosting Netanyahu to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement to end the fig — U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee speaks at the White House in July. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

U.S. Ambassador to Israel and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee confirmed to Axios that he met with convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, after the New York Times first reported the meeting on Thursday.

The big picture: Pollard, an analyst for the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigation Service, was convicted of giving Israel classified documents in the mid-1980s and sentenced to life in prison. He served nearly 30 years before being released on parole in 2015. He moved to Israel in 2020.

State of play: Huckabee told Axios that nothing was requested and nothing was granted in the meeting, which took place in July, according to the Times.

He said many people request meetings and he tries to accommodate.

Context: Huckabee, the 44th governor of Arkansas and father of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is in the state to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and the 75th anniversary of the Governor's Mansion.

Sanders will host Huckabee, former President Clinton, former Gov. Mike Beebe and former Gov. Asa Hutchinson in a fireside chat at the mansion this evening.

Add Axios on Google

Mike Huckabee confirms he met with convicted spy

More NW Arkansas stories