Huckabee top aide modified and suppressed US embassy reporting critical of Israel: Report
A top aide to US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has repeatedly altered or suppressed embassy reporting that would have been critical of Israeli activities in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, according to a New York Times investigation.
David Milstein, 36, has blocked, rewritten or delayed reports to Washington about illegal Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence, and the killings of nine Palestinian Americans, the NYT reported, citing US officials familiar with his work.
The newspaper said it interviewed 15 US officials who had worked with Milstein, including many in Washington, as well as nine former diplomats. They were all cited anonymously for fear of reprisals.
The NYT also reviewed dozens of internal documents, including diplomatic cables, memos and other communications.
The investigation found that Milstein's interventions raised concerns among embassy staff and Washington officials that information reaching the US government was being distorted. Several officials told the NYT that Milstein's interventions surpassed those of any recent predecessor.
The sources told the paper they were concerned that Milstein was undermining diplomatic work and even contradicting US President Donald Trump's policies.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
One example involved illegal Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
In late March, Israel approved a major expansion of illegal settlements while the region was embroiled in a war with Iran. Embassy staff viewed the move as conflicting with Trump's official opposition to Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, and prepared an urgent report for policymakers in Washington.
According to three US officials cited by the NYT, Milstein blocked the report from being sent, and this reportedly was not an isolated incident.
There has been growing international concern over Israel's illegal settlement activity. The UK, Canada and France announced sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank in September, with the UK accusing some settlers of being involved in "ethnic cleansing".
Praising Israel for 'cracking down' on violence
The NYT reported that Milstein had also intervened in embassy reporting on Israeli settler violence.
In one instance, embassy staff prepared reporting suggesting that the Israeli government was failing to address a rise in violence by settlers. Rather than sending that assessment to Washington, the embassy instead sent a cable praising Israel for "cracking down" on the violence, according to three officials.
In another case, Milstein reportedly blocked a detailed report on Israeli investigations into the killings of nine Palestinian Americans by Israeli settlers or security forces in the occupied West Bank in four years.
The killings attracted congressional attention. In March, 30 members of Congress led by Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio seeking information about the investigations and demanding accountability.
Officers in the embassy completed the report that month, concluding that Israeli investigations into most of the killings had made little progress. Some cases had reportedly been closed, and no one had been charged.
Instead of forwarding the report, Milstein argued that the embassy should send a message saying Israel was handling the investigations properly, according to two officials cited by the NYT.
Milstein's alleged interventions also included the besieged Gaza Strip. The NYT reported that he rewrote an embassy cable concerning the notorious Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an aid organisation backed by Israel and the US that was accused of killing Palestinians while seeking aid.
American diplomats in Israel warned in a cable that the distribution operation was chaotic, deadly and could result in further "mass-casualty events".
People familiar with the cable said Milstein rewrote it to portray the foundation's operation as successful while omitting information about killings at its distribution sites.
The reported interventions also affected the volume of diplomatic reporting from the embassy. Officials said Milstein began insisting on approving communications from the embassy section responsible for Palestinian affairs shortly after arriving in Jerusalem.
The number of cables then dropped from several per week to only a few per month, with some staff members reportedly reluctant to write reports because they feared they would be blocked or rewritten.
The NYT reported that, on at least two occasions, White House and State Department officials bypassed standard channels to communicate directly with embassy staff. With discrepancies between news coverage and the embassy's reports, they wanted a clearer understanding of events.
'So lacking in fact'
Milstein previously worked as an aide to Republican Senator Ted Cruz and former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman. During the Biden administration, he worked for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on outreach to pro-Israel voters. He returned to the embassy in April 2025 after Trump won a second term.
The NYT reported that it is unclear how much Huckabee knew about Milstein's interventions. Huckabee and Milstein both declined requests for an interview.
As ambassador, Huckabee would need to approve significant diplomatic cables and decisions, but officials told the NYT that Milstein sometimes acted independently. They also said that Huckabee sometimes worked with Milstein to "suppress or recast" information, but also had to intervene on several occasions when he believed Milstein had gone too far.
Responding to questions about Milstein, Huckabee rejected the allegations, saying the NYT's account was "so lacking in fact" that he considered it a "farcical" endeavour. He said he "personally and categorically" rejected the newspaper's investigation.
The State Department responded by stating that the team "remains focused on advancing President Trump's America First agenda".
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
