Is MAGA really pro-Israel?

In recent years, the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, led by President Donald Trump, has claimed to be one of Israel’s strongest allies in American politics.

Supporters point to key policy decisions that the Trump administrations have made: relocating the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem; recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights; withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal; and brokering the Abraham Accords. MAGA supporters point to these moves as proof that it is staunchly pro-Israel.

But beneath the surface, the relationship is more precarious than it seems. Despite policies favorable to the Israeli government, MAGA’s deeper ideological undercurrents and political behavior raise questions about what “pro-Israel” truly means. Is it about symbolic gestures and temporary alignment? Or about sustainable, bipartisan support for Israel’s long-term security and legitimacy?

Pro-Israel on Policy — But at What Cost?

There’s no denying that the Trump administration implemented policies that were unprecedented in their alignment with Israeli government positions. Israelis across the political spectrum sincerely appreciated the embassy move and the Abraham Accords.

Yet, they came at a cost. The close embrace between President Trump and PM Benjamin Netanyahu — including joint campaign-style events and effusive mutual and personal praise — has injected Israel into the partisan side of American politics. As a reaction to Israel’s unprecedented alignment with a U.S. political party, Democrats, even those with traditionally strong pro-Israel records, have started to distance themselves from the Jewish State. Younger and more progressive Americans increasingly viewed Israel through a partisan lens, connecting support of Israel to unpopular Trump domestic policies.

MAGA’s Tolerance for Extremism Undermines Jewish Safety

MAGA’s support for Israel as a foreign nation should not be confused with support for Jewish communities in the United States. And here, the MAGA movement’s record is troubling.

While claiming solidarity with Israel, many MAGA figures have either courted or tolerated far-right voices that traffic in antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories. From QAnon to the “Great Replacement” theory to the January 6th insurrection — which included individuals wearing “Camp Auschwitz” shirts — there is a growing extremist undercurrent in MAGA circles that sees Jews not as allies, but as scapegoats.

Even Trump himself has made repeated statements that offend or alienate American Jews — suggesting, for example, that Jews who vote for Democrats are disloyal to Israel, or hosting Kanye West and Nick Fuentes, two figures known for antisemitic rhetoric, at Mar-a-Lago. These moments raise uncomfortable but important questions: Can a movement be considered pro-Israel if it tolerates antisemitism in the U.S.?

What Happens When the Winds Shift?

MAGA, like most populist movements, has alliances that shift with the wind. Today, Israel is seen as an ally — a strong, security-driven state in a dangerous neighborhood. But what happens when Israel’s policies no longer align with MAGA priorities? Or when a future Israeli government pursues peace efforts MAGA supporters may not embrace?

We can already see cracks forming in the relationship. Some MAGA-aligned figures in the media and political sphere have grown impatient with Israel’s military restraint or its political complexity. If Israel stops being a useful symbol in the MAGA worldview — of strength, border control, or biblical destiny — it may quickly find itself discarded, or worse, vilified.

Pro-Israel Must Mean Long-Term Stability

Ultimately, being pro-Israel means more than moving embassies. It means advocating for Israel’s security, regional integration, democratic values, and long-term legitimacy on the world stage.

That requires steady, bipartisan U.S. support — not an alliance with one party or political movement, but across the American political spectrum. MAGA’s approach, for all its high-profile moves,  has driven a wedge between Israel and large segments of the American public, particularly younger voters, people of color, and progressives. These are growing constituencies in U.S. politics that Israel cannot afford to alienate.

If the MAGA movement truly cares about Israel, it must do more than praise its government. It must reject antisemitism at home, restore civility to political discourse, and help ensure that Israel is embraced not as a political pawn, but as a valued, democratic ally.

Conclusion: A Cautionary Alliance

The MAGA movement may have delivered short-term wins for Israel, but it has also set the stage for long-term challenges. By turning Israel into a partisan symbol, MAGA has inadvertently weakened the very foundations of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

True friends don’t make you a wedge issue. True allies don’t use you as a campaign prop.

If Israel wants to preserve its most important diplomatic relationship, it must remember that being embraced by everyone is more powerful than being owned by anyone.