Trump, Obama, or Biden: Who Was Israel’s Strongest Ally?

When it comes to the United State’s relationship with Israel, not all presidents are equal. Some go down in history as Israel’s strongest allies. Others leave behind a legacy of strained ties and dangerous decisions. In the past 15 years, three presidents—Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden—have all had a major influence on the U.S.-Israel relationship. So who helped Israel the most? And who caused the most harm?

#3 – Joe Biden: A President Who Talks, But Doesn’t Deliver

Vice President Joe Biden laughs with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, March 9, 2010

President Biden often says he supports Israel, but his actions tell a different story. While he did approve military aid to Israel during the Israel-Hamas war, his overall policies have been shaky at best and dangerous at worst. One of the most controversial decisions was his push to stop Israel from invading Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where Hamas leaders were hiding. Biden claimed he was trying to protect civilians, but in reality his interference gave Hamas more time to regroup.

Even more troubling is Biden’s record with UNRWA, the United Nations agency that supposedly helps Palestinian refugees. In early 2024, multiple UNRWA staff members were found to have taken part in the October 7th Hamas attack on Israeli civilians. Despite this, Biden restored over $730 million in U.S. funding to UNRWA after Trump had cut it off. Many Israelis and American Jews saw this as a betrayal.

Biden has also pushed for a Palestinian state, even while Hamas remains a powerful force in Gaza. He has pressured Israel to agree to ceasefires, even as rockets continued to fall on Israeli towns. Though his administration has provided military support, many American-Israelis feel abandoned by a president who seems more concerned with world opinion than Israeli security.

#2 – Barack Obama: Mixed Messages and Dangerous Deals

President Barack Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel in the Oval Office, Oct 1, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama’s relationship with Israel was complicated. On the one hand, he signed a $38 billion military aid package to Israel in 2016. It was the largest U.S. aid deal ever made with any country, and it gave Israel access to advanced weapons systems like the F-35 fighter jet. That was a major win.

But his foreign policy decisions also created major risks for Israel—especially his nuclear deal with Iran.

In 2015, Obama signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), more commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Deal. While it was meant to limit Iran’s ability to build a nuclear weapon, Israel’s leaders warned that it did the exact opposite. The deal gave Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “historic mistake.” Iran used much of that money to fund terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, both of which continue to target Israel.

Obama also clashed publicly with Israeli leaders. In 2016, his administration allowed a United Nations resolution to pass that condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The U.S. usually vetoes anti-Israel resolutions, but this time, Obama stood aside. Many saw it as a final insult to Israel during his last month in office.

So while Obama gave Israel important military aid, his other choices—especially the Iran deal—put Israel at risk. He wasn’t the worst, but he wasn’t a great friend either.

#1 – Donald Trump: The Best U.S. President Israel Has Ever Had

Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu with Donald and Melania Trump in the Ben Gurion airport. (State of Israel)

When it comes to helping Israel, no modern U.S. president comes close to Donald Trump.

Trump didn’t just talk—he acted. In 2017, he became the first president to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Then he moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a bold move that previous presidents had promised but never delivered. Israelis saw it as a sign of real respect and loyalty.

In 2020, Trump also helped negotiate the Abraham Accords, which led to historic peace deals between Israel and four Arab countries: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. These were the first major Arab-Israeli peace agreements since the 1990s. By building these ties, Trump helped make Israel safer and more accepted in the region.

He also cut funding to UNRWA, calling out its corruption and ties to terrorism. Under his leadership, the U.S. pulled out of the Iran deal, reimposed tough sanctions on Iran, and weakened its ability to fund terror groups.

Trump’s record in his first term wasn’t perfect. He did not fully deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in Gaza. But overall, he gave Israel something it rarely gets from world leaders: clear, strong support without double standards.

When ranking these three presidents by how they treated Israel, the answer becomes clear. Joe Biden, despite his words, often pressured Israel and supported groups that harmed its security. Barack Obama gave some military aid but also made dangerous deals with Iran. Donald Trump, on the other hand, delivered real results—from peace deals to embassy moves—and reshaped the Middle East in Israel’s favor.

In a time when Israel faces constant threats, true allies matter. Trump is not just the best of the three—he is, without question, the strongest American president Israel has ever had.