An astute observer would have noticed clear signs during the 2024 campaign. Trump repeatedly promised to end all wars and foreign entanglements. He demanded that the war in Gaza come to an end before his inauguration. His Vice Presidential pick, JD Vance, was aligned with the isolationist wing of the GOP and publicly disagreed with Kamala Harris when she referred to Iran as the greatest threat to the United States. Prominent figures like Mike Pence and John Bolton, who traditionally supported Israel, were no longer well represented. Instead, individuals like Tucker Carlson were given prominent roles at the RNC and MSG rally. This context leads us to the troubling situation we find ourselves in today at the onset of the second Trump administration. Steve Witkoff has been appointed as Trump’s new point man for Israel and the Middle East. It is widely known that Witkoff exerted significant pressure on Netanyahu to reach a hostage deal that many believed was profoundly misguided. According to various media sources, Witkoff read Netanyahu the riot act, demanding painful concessions. The Times of Israel reported that Witkoff warned Netanyahu about the dire consequences of not reaching an agreement. He emphasized that the threat of “Hell to pay” directed at Hamas also applied to Israel. Caroline Glick from the Jerusalem Post criticized Witkoff for creating a moral equivalency between Israel and Hamas. To make matters even worse, Witkoff recently stated in an interview with FOX News that it would be beneficial for the United States to engage in direct dialogue with Hamas. Conservative radio host Mark Levin condemned Witkoff on X, noting that even Secretary of State Antony Blinken never suggested working with Hamas. Trump’s recent appointment of Michael DiMino as the top Middle East official at the Department of Defense has raised concerns among the pro-Israel community. DiMino has opposed providing Israel with any weapons, including defensive ones, to use against Hizbullah. Additionally, he has downplayed Iran’s attacks on Israel, which has further alarmed supporters of Israel. The fact that traditional hawkish members of the GOP have little influence in the new administration adds to the unease regarding the future of U.S.-Israel relations. Dan Cadwell, an isolationist and strong ally of Pete Hegseth, also has a record of pacifism towards Iran and has had an outsized role in selecting Defense Department personnel for the Trump administration. He has tapped Elbridge Colby as under-secretary of defense for policy. Colby is on record opposing any military action against Iran. He has downplayed the threat of a nuclear Iran and has claimed that the containment of a nuclear-armed Iran is a viable option. Both Cadwell and Colby criticized Israel’s campaign against Hizbullah. Even Trump has partially retracted his first administration’s tough-on-Iran stance and now argues that reaching a new deal with Iran would be preferable. If the Hamas deal is any indicator, such a deal would force Israel into making concessions it can ill afford. Trump also mocked the plight of Israeli hostages when he called them to the stage during his inauguration event only to use them as props while carrying on about the so-called January 6th hostages. While Trump has taken some positive action for Israel, it has been primarily symbolic and without much practical effect. He removed Biden’s EO that stopped ICC sanctions, but Trump […]