U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has come out swinging against CBS News for what he calls a blatant distortion of his words. In a scathing critique, Huckabee accuses the network of cherry-picking his interview to paint a misleading picture of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas. This isn’t just a minor editing snafu; it’s a deliberate attempt to twist the narrative, he claims.
According to The Daily Wire, Huckabee’s clash with CBS stems from an interview with journalist Debora Patta, where discussions ranged from Hamas’s brutal actions to allegations of starvation in Gaza, and now he’s released the full transcript to set the record straight.
The interview, conducted by Patta—who has a track record of critiquing Israel—covered heavy topics like the futility of negotiating with Hamas, Israel’s war efforts, and protests within the country. Huckabee didn’t mince words when recalling the horrors of October 7, pointing to Hamas’s acts of rape, burning elderly individuals, and holding hostages for nearly 22 months. CBS, however, allegedly omitted key parts of his responses, including his sharp rebuttals to claims of genocide.
“I’m not sure there is a way to revive negotiations with people who were so savage,” Huckabee stated, detailing Hamas’s atrocities. Well, isn’t that a bitter pill for the progressive narrative to swallow? If CBS wanted a feel-good story, they interviewed the wrong guy.
Patta brought up frustration among hostage families toward Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, suggesting some cabinet members want the war to drag on until Hamas is obliterated. Huckabee countered that letting Hamas claim victory could invite another catastrophic attack, asking if the world could live with such an outcome. CBS, curiously, didn’t air much of this context—perhaps it didn’t fit their script.
Then there’s Patta’s claim that over half of Israelis want the war to end, a statistic Huckabee questioned while noting that no one wants conflict to continue. “I think 100% of the Israelis want the war to end,” he said, but stressed there’s no consensus on surrendering to Hamas. Funny how CBS didn’t highlight that nuance—almost as if they had an agenda to push.
Patta raised concerns about alleged starvation in Gaza, but Huckabee wasn’t buying unverified sob stories. “I’m moved when the photos are verified,” he quipped, pointing out past media blunders like the New York Times publishing misleading images of supposed starving children. If you’re going to tug at heartstrings, at least get the facts straight.
Huckabee dropped a bombshell, citing UN reports that 87% of food deliveries in Gaza are hijacked or looted, often by Hamas, who then sell it on the black market for profit. He noted Hamas made a staggering 500 million U.S. dollars last year from this racket. Patta countered with a World Food Program statement denying diversion to Hamas, but Huckabee’s skepticism was palpable—looting is looting, isn’t it?
“Hamas made half a billion dollars last year,” Huckabee reiterated, painting a picture of a terror group treating aid as a business venture. While Patta insisted on daily deaths near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites, Huckabee demanded evidence, especially regarding claims of shootings by IDF or American forces. Show me the tape, he essentially said—don’t just peddle rumors.
Speaking of rumors, Huckabee dismantled a widely reported hoax about 27 deaths at a GHF site, covered by major outlets like the BBC and CNN, which turned out to be completely false. Where were the retractions, he wondered, when the truth came out that no one was even injured? It’s almost as if some media outlets thrive on sensationalism over substance.
Patta cited UN figures claiming 1,400 deaths in Gaza, mostly by IDF gunfire, with nearly 900 near GHF sites, but Huckabee pushed back hard. He relayed accounts from Gazans themselves who blamed Hamas for violence and murders at feeding sites, not the IDF or Americans. Isn’t it telling that this perspective rarely makes the evening news?
“If Israel is attempting genocide, they’re bad at it,” Huckabee scoffed, noting Israel could have obliterated Gaza on October 8 if that were their intent. CBS aired only part of this response, conveniently skipping his assertion that such accusations are absurd on their face. Selective editing much?
Huckabee’s release of the full transcript on his website is a direct challenge to CBS News, exposing what he sees as a calculated misrepresentation of his views on Israel and Hamas. It’s not just about one interview; it’s about a broader pattern of media shaping stories to fit a certain worldview. And in a conflict this complex, that’s a dangerous game.
At the heart of this spat is a fundamental question: who gets to frame the story of Israel’s fight against Hamas? Huckabee’s frustration with CBS reflects a conservative concern that mainstream outlets too often sideline critical context—like Hamas’s role in Gaza’s suffering—to push a narrative of Israeli aggression. It’s high time, some might argue, for media to prioritize truth over talking points.
