Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to take first trip to Israel since her father became ambassador

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is traveling next week on a trade mission to Israel, her first visit since her father Mike Huckabee was named U.S. ambassador there.

Sanders, widely considered a potential Republican candidate for president in 2028, is also traveling to the United Arab Emirates on the trip, her office said. Sanders leaves Sunday and returns Aug. 9.

The Senate in April confirmed Mike Huckabee, who served more than a decade as Arkansas governor, as the Trump administration’s ambassador to Israel. This is Sanders’ first trip to Israel since taking office as governor in 2023, though she has previously been.

Sanders plans to meet with senior Israel government officials and is hosting roundtables with Israeli companies, focused on agricultural technology and defense. She also plans to connect with several companies that already have investments in Arkansas.

She also plans to speak with companies in the UAE, focusing on aerospace and defense industries.

Israel is one of Arkansas’ top trading partners, and the state exported more than $150 million in products to the country in 2024.