Donald Trump has many likes and dislikes. Israel, fortunately, sits deeply in the first group.
In any case, the first 100 days of his second term continue exactly the same line that characterized him from 2017-2021. Then, as now, Trump stands by Israel completely. From the uncompromising war he is leading against Hamas supporters on American campuses, through a non-stop airlift of defensive and offensive weapons, to full freedom of operation for the IDF in all sectors – Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank – and ending with automatic and complete support for Israel in every case of international criticism.
For those who forgot, until January 19, 2025, it looked completely different. Although there were weapons shipments from Biden, their pace was much slower. In general, the Biden administration helped with the right hand but interfered with the left, as described by the former ambassador to Washington, Michael (Mike) Herzog.
"Hunger in Gaza"
The logistical supplies that Blinken forced us to bring into Gaza enriched Hamas's coffers, prolonged the war, and delayed the release of hostages. The IDF's freedom of action was restricted by the Americans time and again. And they themselves led the international criticism, with false slanders about "hunger in Gaza." All this happened under Zionist Biden. If his deputy, Kamala Harris, had been elected, who knows where we would be.
So, in essence, Trump is with us one hundred percent. If anything has changed, it's the rhetoric. The president speaks about Israel with slightly more distance than in the past, apparently due to political considerations. In his view, Israel's stock in American public opinion has weakened – from a position of consensus, Israel has become controversial. In order not to irritate pro-Palestinian voters who supported him, the president does not explicitly say where his heart lies.
MAGA doesn't decide
Another reason for verbal caution is the isolationist faction within the MAGA movement. This group, whose prominent spokesperson is media personality Tucker Carlson, thinks that America should simply withdraw its hands from the world's problems and focus on its own affairs. Israel, according to their approach – an approach that is often seasoned with antisemitic arguments – is a big problem. Trump has close ties with Carlson and his like, and he is apparently careful not to pull the rope too far against them.
Still, and this is the important part, contrary to theories heard from time to time, the isolationists have not taken over the second Trump administration, and they are not setting the tone. Even Trump's sons, Eric and Don, who are close to the isolationists, exempt Israel from the desire to reduce American expenditures and forces deployed around the world.
Just last week, Dan Caldwell, deputy to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was fired from the Pentagon. Caldwell spoke out strongly against war with Iran before his appointment. According to him, the reason for the dismissal is his opposition to a plan promoted in the Pentagon to bring about regime change in Iran, because, in his opinion, it would lead to war.
He rushed to present his version in a flattering interview with that same Carlson, who himself obsessively preaches against such a war. In other words, a prominent isolationist figure was moved out of the administration, which teaches us that it's not the isolationists who determine policy.
Competition in Trump's head
So who does? The answer is obviously Trump. The president, who also says one thing and its opposite regarding Iran, is the one who will decide at the end of the road – whether to adopt a nuclear agreement, assuming his envoy Steve Witkoff achieves one, or to order a military option. Currently, it seems that in his head, the contradictory voices are running around, for and against.
On one hand, Trump promised his voters to end the wars, and action in Iran could ignite a new regional war. On the other hand, according to everything he has said even in recent days to everyone who heard him, he has no illusions about the ayatollahs' regime, which, as we remember, also tried to assassinate him.
Until the decision is made, Trump is flexing his muscles against Iran, with strength and scope that don't come close to what we've ever seen. There's no doubt that the aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, the bombers in Diego Garcia, the giant Galaxy planes that landed at the Nevatim base, and his statements that bombing nuclear infrastructure is a real option, have made it clear to the Iranians that he is completely serious. That's why they folded their tail and crawled to negotiations – the same negotiations they refused to hold with Biden for four years. To increase the humiliation, Trump forced the Iranian foreign minister to meet directly with Witkoff, contrary to the regime's longstanding ideology.
And the future? Likely, we won't be disappointed
Although many in Israel are troubled by what's happening inside the negotiation rooms, these developments themselves are something Israel has dreamed about for years – and hasn't received until now. For almost two decades Israel has argued to various administrations that only a "credible military threat" will cause the Iranians to become flexible. These days are the first time such a threat has been presented.
We are indeed at an early stage of the talks, but as mentioned, concessions from Iran have already been achieved. It's possible that if an agreement is reached, it won't be to Israel's liking. However, at least in the principled approach, here too, Trump stands in the same position as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the first 100 days of the beginning of his second term, from the Israeli angle, Trump is fulfilling everything Israel expected. If we add the previous four years, it's reasonable to assume that we won't be disappointed in the future either.
