Donald Trump: A True Ally to Israel and the Jews

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Under Donald Trump’s presidency, he became one of the most pro-Israel American presidents in decades. The presidency took bold steps to promote US-Israel relations, strengthen Jewish communities, and reshape Middle Eastern diplomacy. From pronouncing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital to brokering peace deals of historic significance, Trump’s presidency has been a unprecedented reorientation of American policy toward Israel and the Jewish people.

1. Pronouncing Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel

Presidents of the US made promises for decades to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital but didn’t do anything. Trump broke this tradition in December 2017 by officially announcing Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel and that the US embassy would be shifted from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This action was a historic one as Jerusalem is of immense religious, historical, and political significance to the Jewish people. The embassy move was completed in May 2018 on Israel’s 70th Independence Day. The action was welcomed by Israeli leaders, and it further cemented Trump as a good friend of Israel.

2. US Recognition of Israeli Sovereignty Over the Golan Heights

Trump then broke a new precedent in March 2019, when he announced recognition of Israeli control over the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured by Israel from Syria in 1967. The international community did not notice Israel’s supremacy in the region for decades. However, with security issues from Syria and Iranian-backed militia going on and on, the step taken by Trump was considered an essential step toward the sealing of Israel’s north border. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed it as a “historic justice” and thanked Trump.

3. The Abraham Accords: A New Era of Middle East Peace

One of Trump’s most significant foreign policy achievements was negotiating the Abraham Accords—a series of peace agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, including:
• United Arab Emirates
• Bahrain
• Sudan
• Morocco

These agreements marked a significant Middle East diplomatic move, as they were the first to normalize relations between Israel and major Arab states without requiring territorial concessions. The Abraham Accords had the power of strengthening Israel’s economy, tourism, and security and showed that there was no necessity for Israel to bow to Palestinian pressures in order to gain peace with the Arab world.

4. Strong Stand on Iran and the Iran Nuclear Agreement

In May 2018, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) citing that the deal:
• Had provided billions of dollars to Iran without shutting down its nuclear program forever.
• Allowed Iran to fund terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, which directly threaten Israel.
• Had sunset provisions that would eventually allow Iran to resume building nuclear weapons.

By reimposing crippling sanctions on Iran, Trump’s administration pounded Iran’s economy, reducing its ability to fund terror attacks on Israel.

5. Defending Israel at the United Nations

The United Nations has long been anti-Israel, passing numerous resolutions against it. Trump’s administration firmly resisted this prejudice by:
• Withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council for its one-sided focus on Israel.
• Decreasing US contributions to UNRWA, a group that provides aid to Palestinian refugees and has been accused of spreading anti-Israel bias.
• Vetoing pro-Israel resolutions and standing firm against international pressure.

This shift meant that America was no longer going to stand for unfair condemnations of Israel in international communities.

6. Challenging Antisemitism in the US and Abroad

Trump also made the efforts to protect Jewish communities within the U.S. and counter antisemitism, including:
• Signing an executive order in 2019 to add civil rights protections for Jewish students who face antisemitism on university campuses.
• Escalating law enforcement activity targeting antisemitic hate crimes.
• Publicly denouncing antisemitism, as well as violence against Jewish communities.

His administration also attempted to improve relations with Orthodox Jewish communities and extend protection to their religious freedoms.

Conclusion: A Presidency Defined by Pro-Israel Actions. Donald Trump’s presidency also saw some of the most robust pro-Israel policies America had ever experienced. His presidency did the following:
✅ Properly acknowledged Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
✅ Moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
✅ Provided recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights
✅ Enabled the Abraham Accords
✅ Withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal
✅ Defended Israel at the United Nations
✅ Took strong positions against antisemitism