US President Donald Trump said Sunday that negative American attitudes toward Israel helped explain Republican losses in last week’s midterm elections. Speaking on 60 Minutes after Democrats took control of the House and Senate, he included his administration’s close ally among several factors he believed had hurt his party.
Trump first pointed to his own absence from the ballot and voters’ dissatisfaction with some Republican candidates, including candidates he had endorsed. He also cited opposition to the Iran war and rising gasoline prices. Turning to Israel, he said there was “a great dislike” for the country, but offered no further explanation.
Polling has indicated that American support for Israel has declined since the Gaza war started in 2023 following the October 7 Hamas massacre, with the drop particularly evident among Democrats. Vice President JD Vance suggested last week that Republicans would need to adjust their relationship with Israel to succeed in future elections. Trump also reportedly warned a Jewish donor last year that support was weakening among his own backers.
On the morning of the midterm elections, Trump announced that Washington would stop providing what he described as $4 billion in yearly military assistance to Israel by the end of 2026. Israeli security and financial officials were reportedly surprised. The existing memorandum of understanding provides $3.8 billion annually and runs through the end of September 2028.
Trump sought to temper that announcement by describing Israel as a good ally and saying it supported the policy. Its timing, just as Americans were voting in congressional elections, underscored the political sensitivity of assistance to Israel across both US parties.
In separate remarks to reporters Sunday, Trump addressed Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot receiving the first opportunity to assemble Israel’s next government ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump described the two men’s policies as similar, noted Eisenkot’s favorable comments about him and said he had not seen what was happening with the contest.
Eisenkot refrained from criticizing Trump after the president endorsed Netanyahu twice before last month’s Knesset election. Netanyahu reportedly sought those public endorsements while repeated polls showed his governing coalition well short of a majority. Following the election, Eisenkot secured a majority of endorsements for prime minister.
Eisenkot has emphasized differences in governing style while avoiding a detailed account of substantive policy disagreements with Netanyahu. He has signaled that he wants a more moderate government than the outgoing coalition, which included far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
Trump’s support for Netanyahu has coexisted with sharp criticism of his regional policies. In June, continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon complicated Iran peace talks and prompted an expletive-laden rebuke from Trump. Earlier in the year, he also reportedly called Netanyahu “his own worst enemy” out of frustration with some policies. Both leaders nevertheless maintain that their working relationship is good.
