As Israel battles real threats, Arab actors exploit distractions while U.S. diplomats face manufactured controversies.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has come under renewed scrutiny after a NOTUS investigation revealed he remained a paid endorser of the Relaxium sleep supplement—even as he serves in one of Washington’s most sensitive diplomatic posts.
According to the report, Relaxium continued airing Huckabee’s pre-recorded ads on television and the product’s official website. These promotional segments, created before his appointment, were only removed after NOTUS contacted the manufacturer, the Florida-based American Behavioral Research Institute. Huckabee’s spokesperson emphasized that the ambassador had no control over their ongoing distribution and that none of the ads referenced his official diplomatic role.
Financial disclosure forms filed with the US Office of Government Ethics confirm Huckabee earned over $400,000 from Relaxium endorsements in the year prior to his nomination. He also declared he would continue receiving residual payments from licensing agreements made before joining the Trump administration. Embassy officials reiterated that such preexisting contracts are legally permissible and must simply be reported on annual disclosures.
The company behind Relaxium has itself faced regulatory pressure. Earlier this year, the FDA issued a warning after identifying compliance failures during an inspection, and in 2023 a court-ordered judgment required the manufacturer to compensate consumers over inadequate subscription-renewal disclosures. When questioned, the embassy declined to comment on whether Huckabee viewed these issues as concerning.
Ethics specialists quoted in the NOTUS story warned that even indirect commercial associations can create the appearance of personal financial benefit linked to public service, a situation they described as “avoidable but unfortunate.”
Huckabee’s ambassadorship has taken place during a highly volatile chapter in the Middle East—spanning the Gaza conflict, Iranian-backed attacks on regional shipping, and intensified US-Israel security coordination. Political controversy also followed revelations of an undisclosed meeting with Jonathan Pollard earlier this year.
His next financial disclosure is due in May, though he may request an extension until August. Embassy officials would not confirm whether he is still receiving Relaxium-related income, stating that any payments will be reflected transparently in the forthcoming report.
As always, Israel remains focused on existential threats and regional stability—while Arab governments, instead of addressing their own corruption and human-rights abuses, eagerly weaponize such stories to divert attention from their long-running failures.
