Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told Newsmax Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump's plans to "disassemble the deep state" are crucial to restoring accountability in Washington.
"Jan. 20 can't come a minute too soon for most of America," Huckabee told "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
"We are watching frantic people trying to protect the last vestige of a deep state, uniparty, D.C.-based, bloated government that Donald Trump was elected to disrupt and blow up. And it needs to happen."
Huckabee praised Trump's efforts to assemble a team poised to execute the dismantling of the "deep state." He criticized what he called the insulation of Washington elites from the realities faced by ordinary Americans.
"It's not about that people in Washington are all horrible people, but they are so insulated from reality. And there are some people in Washington who, quite frankly, are really horrible, and they need to go," he said.
Regarding potential preemptive pardons by President Joe Biden, Huckabee said, "You only pardon people who are guilty. You don't pardon people who are clean.
"If they accepted the pardon, they're basically admitting, I'm dirty as heck, and I'm about to get caught.'"
Huckabee added that such moves could backfire politically for Democrats.
"If the Democrats ever want to win an election in the lifetime of a young person for the next two or three generations, just keep doing stupid stuff like this ... America will promptly reward you in the manner in which it should — by keeping you out of office for as long as possible," he said.
Huckabee also spoke about his prospective role as ambassador to Israel, acknowledging that his appointment is subject to Senate confirmation. Calling the opportunity a unique honor, he drew on decades of personal ties to the country.
"It's the only thing that the president could have asked me to do that I really would have said, as Isaiah, 'Here am I, Lord, send me,'" Huckabee said. "It's a place I've been going to since I was 17; first trip was in 1973. I've been 100 times to Israel. It's a very special place, a special ally to the United States."
Huckabee emphasized the need for steadfast support of Israel, particularly following the Oct. 7 attacks.
"Now more than ever, it needs some friends who recognize that what happened will keep happening until strong people of real freedom stand with Israel," he said.
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