United States President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will nominate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as the next US Ambassador to Israel.

If confirmed for the role, Huckabee, a long-time Trump ally and supporter of Israel, is expected to work on strengthening ties between the two nations. In a statement on social media, Trump praised Huckabee as a "highly respected" leader, citing his decades of public service and strong connection to Israel.

"He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him," Trump said, confident that Huckabee would work toward peace in the Middle East.