Particle.news
Download on the App Store

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Criticized for Joke in Shelter-in-Place Memo

Officials called the tone awkward after the Washington Post published the note to staff sheltering in protective quarters.

Overview

  • The memo was circulated Tuesday to U.S. diplomats, local staff, and family members who were huddled in protective quarters in Israel.
  • In the note, Mike Huckabee joked that if extended time with a spouse leads to a child in nine months, the baby should be named after him, with reports also quoting a line suggesting Michelle for a girl.
  • U.S. officials described the message as awkward and odd, according to reporting on the memo.
  • Reaction on X skewed sharply negative, with authors and prominent accounts condemning the remark and mocking the judgment behind it.
  • Coverage to date reports criticism and online blowback, with no formal apology, clarification, or disciplinary action reported by U.S. officials.