‘Spiritual darkness’: US ambassador to Israel says critics of Iran war are blinded by Satan

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has faced criticism after saying people who oppose US military action against Iran are in “spiritual darkness” and have been blinded by Satan. His remarks matter because they cast disagreement with the war as a spiritual failing, prompting calls from some commentators and social media users for his removal as a diplomat.

Huckabee made the comments in a live interview with Israeli commentator Amir Tsarfati, published on 23 October, while discussing European governments’ scepticism about intervention. Andrew Day, a senior editor at The American Conservative, said an ambassador should not speak that way about opponents of the war. The article also cites Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi, who framed Republican losses in the US midterm elections as evidence of US setbacks; Donald Trump acknowledged the war played a part in his party’s losses while continuing to defend it.