One year after Donald J. Trump was elected for a second time as President of the United States in November 2024, his MAGA movement is in turmoil–and that too on a question that was thought to be an eternal consensus in American domestic politics. Israel has so divided the MAGA camp that its key influencers are framing it as a conflict between “Israel-First” and “America-First” politics, targeting what they call the MIGA–Make Israel Great Again–camp.
But the division over Israel is not limited to Republicans; it runs deep among Democrats as well. The Trump movement, which started in 2015, had scrambled the bipartisan consensus on three linked issues that had long united U.S. elites under globalisation–immigration, trade, and the outsourcing of manufacturing and services. By challenging the orthodoxy on these questions, Mr. Trump sold America’s dispossessed a new dream under the “America-First” slogan. Crucially, the debate on these issues has not just pitted Republicans against Democrats, but split both parties internally.
Today, many in both parties have moved closer to the views Mr. Trump first articulated–on stronger border control, trade restrictions, protectionism, and the promotion of domestic manufacturing. A similar realignment is now underway on Israel.
Mr. Trump himself is increasingly caught in the crossfire. MAGA supporters are calling him out for his support for Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, while he is being cheered by traditional pro-Israel Republicans such as Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. For decades, older leaderships in both parties had maintained a unified front on Israel: for instance, Democrat Nancy Pelosi and Republican Nikki Haley, despite disagreeing on many issues, always agreed that when it comes to supporting Israel with money and weapons, there are no limits.
A new wave of populism in both parties, fuelled by outrage at the human cost of the war in Gaza, is now toppling that consensus.
Today, figures as diverse as Zohran Mamdani–the Muslim mayor-elect of New York City—and Tucker Carlson–the most influential Christian nationalistic voice in the MAGA world–find common ground in their condemnation of the Netanyahu government. Meanwhile, Israel-sceptic strategic scholars such as John Mearsheimer are expanding their reach via independent platforms, bypassing conventional media.
Shifting dynamics
If Israel once served as a unifier across American political divides, it is now becoming a defining fault line. Criticism of Israel is no longer a “no-go” area, immediately branded as ‘anti-Semitism’ as it was in the past. The demographic composition of both parties is changing, and being critical of Israel is now not only politically viable but, in some quarters, considered necessary.
One key reason is a generational shift in attitude. This is reflected most starkly in the opposing views between Nikki Haley and her son Nalin Haley. She once endorsed bombing in Gaza and insisted that the U.S. needed Israel, while he argues that Israel is “just another country” and the U.S. should treat it as such. The second source of division lies within the Christian-nationalist narrative itself.
An older generation of Christian conservatives, especially Evangelicals, often expressed near-dogmatic loyalty to Israel, rooted in a Judeo-Christian shared heritage and a theological reading of biblical prophecy. Figures such as Senator Ted Cruz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio epitomise that tradition. But a new cadre of challengers is questioning this conflation, arguing that Israel’s war in Gaza is morally incompatible with Christian values. Tucker Carlson, for example, has forcefully criticised American Christians who back Israel, calling Christian Zionism a “brain virus” that warps faith and prioritises foreign entanglements over gospel obligations.
For different reasons, Israel-sceptics are also gaining traction in the Democratic camp. Some progressive Democrats are now drawing a line by refusing campaign contributions from pro-Israel lobbyists: for example, Representatives Morgan McGarvey (Kentucky), Deborah K. Ross (North Carolina), and Valerie Foushee (North Carolina) have said they will no longer accept funds from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Mr Trump himself has acknowledged the shift.
During the 2024 campaign, he quipped, “Earlier, one word against Israel and your politics is over… Now, one word for Israel, and your politics could be over.” Meanwhile, Mr Mamdani’s strong showing in New York saw more than a third of Jewish voters backing him, according to some surveys.
The polling trends reinforce the sense of realignment: a 2025 Pew survey found that 53% of U.S. adults now hold an unfavourable view of Israel, compared to 42% in 2022. A July 2025 Gallup poll reported that only 32% of Americans now approve of Israel’s military actions in Gaza–reportedly the lowest level in the survey’s history. Younger respondents, in particular, are far more critical of Israel’s policies, suggesting that this trend could shape future elections.
Unsurprisingly, politicians across the spectrum are now facing primary challenges centered on their views on Israel. Senator Graham is being challenged within his own State on this issue. On the libertarian-populist right, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky–a vocal Israel sceptic–is confronting a pro-Israel opponent. Mr. Massie has even argued, “Instead of accepting refugees from Gaza, the United States should quit giving munitions to Israel to create refugees.”
Against this backdrop of sharpening battle lines, Mr. Trump is struggling to navigate a path that satisfies both sides. At times, he expresses frustration with Mr. Netanyahu; at others, he proclaims unwavering support for Israel. As more of his own base turns against the traditional pro-Israel consensus, the revolution he once helped ignite may risk devouring him.
Published – November 15, 2025 11:04 pm IST
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