I. Introduction: The Paradox of the Sidelined Ambassador
A striking paradox emerged at the heart of American diplomacy in October 2025. A fragile ceasefire and hostage-release deal was brokered between Israel and Hamas. The on-the-ground negotiations in Egypt, however, were not led by Mike Huckabee, the sitting U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
Instead, a parallel team of presidential envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, took the lead. President Donald Trump publicly praised Ambassador Huckabee for his “amazing” contributions, but others clearly played the central role.
This raises a critical question. Why was the President’s highest-ranking resident representative functionally sidelined during the most significant diplomatic crisis in his jurisdiction?
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