Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance, voted against a $15 billion supplemental aid package to Israel in April 2024 that Kamala Harris worked to push through the Senate. This was part of a $95 billion foreign aid package that was passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, 7 months into a 7-front war for Israel’s existence. Trump opposed this bill and endorsed conditioning foreign aid, declaring on Truth Social that “We should never give money anymore without the hope of a payback, or without ‘strings’ attached. The United States of America should be ‘stupid’ no longer!” 

• In contrast: VP Harris pushed the $95 billion emergency aid package through the Senate. While a Senator, Harris voted for unprecedented security assistance to Israel, almost $4 billion per year. As Vice President, she continues to unconditionally support sending aid to Israel, declaring that “whether replenishing Iron Dome, working together to develop a new laser defense system, or countering Iran and its proxies, the commitment of the United States and its commitment to Israel’s security will remain unwavering.” 
• The Biden-Harris administration has sent $17.9 billion dollars to Israel in military aid since October 7. Additionally, the administration sent a nuclear submarine armed with 150 missiles and two aircraft carriers to the Middle East in an unprecedented show of U.S. strength and solidarity with Israel. In total, the administration has sent over 50,000 tons of equipment to Israel. 
• One of Harris’s first acts as Senator was to co-sponsor legislation condemning the United Nations for anti-Israel bias––a rebuke to then-President Obama. This resolution “rejects any efforts .. to further isolate Israel” and urges the U.S. Government to take action to prevent this, and “expressed grave objection” to UN Security Council Resolution 2334 on the basis of it being “one-sided” against Israel. 
• The Biden-Harris administration announced in October 2024 it is sending the Thaad advanced antimissile system to Israel, designed to shoot down ballistic missiles, along with 100 American troops to operate it. This rare deployment of U.S. troops is a significant step in American efforts to directly protect Israel against an enemy attack by putting U.S. soldiers on the ground.

Donald Trump did not mention the hostages nor did he condemn the October 7 attack during his 1.5-hour RNC speech, nor during his debate performance. We are unable to find a single explicit condemnation by Trump of the unspeakable sexual violence committed by Hamas against Israeli women on October 7. Other than a one-time mention of Sheryl Sandberg’s documentary, we cannot find any other discussion of it from him.

In contrast: In her 40-minute DNC speech, during the debate, on the anniversary of October 7, and repeatedly throughout the last year, VP Harris has condemned the October 7 attack, specifically described the horrors that occurred at the Nova Festival Massacre, called out the unspeakable sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas, named Hamas as a terrorist organization, and declared Iran a major geopolitical threat. VP Harris has re-emphasized her steadfast support for Israel and its right and ability to defend itself over and over again. VP Harris has met repeatedly with hostage families and been in regular communication with them, especially the families of American hostages. She constantly discusses the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on 10/7 and the fear of ongoing sexual violence against hostages in captivity, speaking as a prosecutor who has prosecuted sexual violence. She hosted an event on conflict-related sexual violence at the White House featuring released Israeli hostage Amit Soussana, during which she screened Sheryl Sandberg’s 10/7 documentary, Screams Before Silence. Governor Walz visited the Nova Exhibition in Los Angeles with his daughter on the anniversary of October 7. Vice President Harris, on October 7, said in her statement: “I will never stop fighting for the release of all the hostages, including the American citizens,” and read their names before offering commentary on the Mourners Kaddish.

Neither Trump nor Vance has publicly supported Israel’s actions eliminating the Butcher of Beirut, Hassan Nasrallah, and degrading the capacity of Hezbollah. Since October 7, Trump has demonstrated a total lack of empathy for the Israeli people and blamed Israel for the war launched against it with the most brutal and heinous attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. In an April 2024 interview with Israel Hayom, Trump said that Israel should hurry up and “finish this war” and that “we can’t have this go on.” Trump said  “Israel is absolutely losing the PR war,” criticizing the images showing massive destruction of Gaza. “You’ve got to get it over with, and you have to get back to normalcy. And I’m not sure that I’m loving the way they’re doing it, because you’ve got to have victory,” Trump said, without directly answering whether he was “100 percent with Israel.” Just five days after 10/7, he said “Hezbollah is very smart.” Last month, at a campaign event hosted by the Palestinian-American founder of Arab Americans for Trump, Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law (a Lebanese-American businessman and official campaign spokesman) reassured the crowd that Donald Trump’s “ “clear and unequivocal position on this is that he is totally and absolutely against this war.” He reiterated that Trump did in fact say that, and that Trump’s position is that “this war must end.”

• In contrast: Kamala Harris and Tim Walz continue to be outspoken about their steadfast support for Israel’s military actions and right to defend itself, both on their website and in their public appearances. Following the death of Nasrallah, Harris put out a strong statement celebrating the strike, declaring that “Hassan Nasrallah was a terrorist with American blood on his hands…  Today, Hezbollah’s victims have a measure of justice.” She also reaffirmed her position on Israel’s continued military actions: “I have an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel. I will always support Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.” 
• John Bolton, Trump’s former National Security Advisor and one of the most hawkish members of the U.S. foreign policy community, has warned the American people that “Trump’s support for Israel in the first term is not guaranteed in the second term, because Trump’s positions are made on the basis of what’s good for Donald Trump, not on some coherent theory of national security.” Bolton said in March 2024, “At bottom, Trump doesn’t have a national security policy…He sees things primarily through the prism of, ‘Does this benefit Donald Trump?’” Bolton said in October 2024, “Those who think he’s [Trump] going to be reflexively supportive of Israel really should think again.”

Trump attacked Israel and insulted Prime Minister Netanyahu for accepting President Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, saying “F*** him,” then refused to speak with him for 3 years (while speaking with Vladimir Putin more than a half dozen times since 2021). Trump later suggested that it was PM Netanyahu’s fault there had not been a peace deal with Palestinian leadership, while praising Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as “terrific, almost like a father, couldn’t have been nicer.” Abbas is the architect of the pay-for-slay program of paying the families of Palestinian terrorists based on how many Jews they maim or murder. 

In contrast: VP Harris has been in regular and constructive communication with the highest-level Israeli officials regarding the conflict, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Herzog, Ambassador Herzog, and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz. She joined more than 20 calls with Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, which is unusual and reflects how much she prioritizes this issue. She had a private meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu when he was in Washington to speak to Congress in July, giving public comments afterward about the importance of the meeting and the bilateral relationship. Any concerns about Israeli leadership have been addressed privately, knowing the danger of showing daylight between our governments. When asked on 60 Minutes whether PM Netanyahu is an ally to the United States, she said unequivocally: “With all due respect, I think the better question is, do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that is Yes.”

Donald Trump has close relationships with known antisemites, Holocaust deniers, violent great replacement theorists and white supremacists. Trump’s own running mate, J.D. Vance, said in 2016 that Trump is “a moral disaster” and “possibly America’s Hitler.” He said “I’m definitely not going to vote for Trump because I think he is projecting very complex problems onto simple villains.”

He said that “Hitler did some good things” and said of rabid white supremacist Nick Fuentes: “I like this guy, he really gets me.” In June 2024, Fuentes claimed that Israel is “committing a genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza” in order to “to carve out a path for greater Israel.” 

Trump maintains a close friendship with Kanye West, even after West threatened to go “death con 3 on Jewish people.” When asked about it during an interview in August 2024, Trump claimed that West is a “really nice guy” with a “good heart.” 

Trump refused to reject the endorsement of David Duke, neo-Nazi and former KKK leader. During the September 2020 presidential debate, when he was pressed to condemn “white supremacists and white militias,” he refused. Instead, he called on the white supremacist group Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,” which many saw as incitement to violence. 

Just two months ago, notorious antisemite Candace Owens was set to speak at a Trump fundraising event in Nashville with Donald Trump Jr. Owens has downplayed the Holocaust and defended Nazis, and accused Jews of wanting to “spread” their “pedophilic, pedophile-centric religion that believes in demons and believes in child sacrifice.” In August she said, “Do you think it’s normal…that basically, every person who speaks about Israel has to basically say a statement that… ‘you know I don’t want to get killed?’” and said that Israel has “taken over” the U.S. (Her appearance was canceled due to the backlash.) 

• In contrast: VP Harris has condemned antisemitism relentlessly. She (and her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, the first Jewish principal at this level of American political leadership) is a major architect of the White House National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, the first-ever such commitment––a whole-of-government, two-dozen-plus federal agency set of guidelines for tackling antisemitism across every facet of American society. When violent anti-Zionist protests broke out following PM Netanyahu’s speech to Congress in July, 2024, VP Harris put out an aggressive statement, declaring, “I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation…  Antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation.” She speaks about the danger of antisemitism regularly.  
• VP Harris spent much of her career fighting antisemitism. She prosecuted hate crimes as a district attorney and as Attorney General of California, where she published an annual report on hate crimes. She pledged in an October 2024 call with the Jewish community: “As president, I will do everything in my power to combat antisemitism whenever and wherever we see it. On the topic of antisemitism, I know, across the country, many Jewish parents, grandparents are worried for their children who are on college campuses. And I know many Jewish students have feared attending class in recent months…When individuals participate in calls to violence and harassment against Jews, that is antisemitism, and I condemn it. When Jews are targeted because of their beliefs or identity and when Israel is singled out because of anti-Jewish hatred, that is antisemitism, and I condemn it. Each university must ensure all students and faculty are safe and secure on campus.”
• The Biden-Harris administration has worked tirelessly to investigate and combat campus antisemitism and has fought to increase funding for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the only government agency tasked with enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. OCR has opened more than 150 cases relating to campus antisemitism since October 7, and the administration has released new Dear Colleague letters using examples of anti-Zionism on campus as reminders to campus administrators of actionable offenses. Congressman Dan Goldman, supported by the Biden-Harris administration, has been working to introduce legislation to double the funding for OCR––and cannot find one Republican co-sponsor. Similar legislation to buoy the work of OCR in investigating campus civil rights claims in 2020––a bill that expressly named antisemitism as a form of hate to be investigated––was defeated by Republican legislators; then-President Trump had committed to vetoing the legislation if it passed.

Trump declared that “Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss” if he were to lose the election in November, putting a dangerous target on the backs of our community and preemptively scapegoating us for a potential electoral loss. Trump has been clear that he knows there is a likelihood of violence perpetrated by his supporters if he loses the 2024 election, saying in March, “[i]f I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.” Blaming Jews for such an outcome dog-whistles to his supporters that they should turn their violent ambitions toward American Jews. Trump has accused Jews who did not vote for him of being “disloyal”––a classical antisemitic trope which has resulted in violence against Jews for centuries. Trump said Jews who vote for Democrats (the vast majority of American Jews) are “fools” and “should have their heads examined.” On the anniversary of October 7, the one year anniversary of the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Trump said of Jewish voters, “They have to get smart about Trump, because they don’t back me. I did more for Israel than anybody. I did more for the Jewish people than anybody. And it’s not reciprocal, as they say, not reciprocal.” He makes clear that he sees his past ostensible support for Israel as a quid pro quo that is unsatisfied on the Jewish side, indicating that he will not continue to support Israel if he wins again.

In contrast: VP Harris is vocal and proud of her connection to Judaism and the Jewish community, which she has maintained since her earliest days in the public eye, strengthened by her Jewish husband, Doug Emhoff. During her remarks at Israel’s Independence Day Reception in Washington, D.C. last June, she proudly introduced her husband as “ the first Jewish spouse of a President or a Vice President in [U.S.] history.” She has celebrated several historical firsts, such as the “first mezuzah on the front door of the Vice President’s Residence,” the “first menorah lit in the residence,” and the “first Passover Seder hosted at the residence.” 

Donald Trump has declared that “Hitler did some good things” and admitted to keeping a copy of Mein Kampf on his bedside table. Donald Trump and the Republican Party maintain close contact with Tucker Carlson, a purveyor of Holocaust denialism and one of the Republican Party’s most prominent national voices who appeared in a primetime speaking slot at the Republican National Convention and was seated next to Trump. Carlson invited rabid antisemite and Holocaust denier Darryl Cooper on his podcast, introducing as the “the best and most honest popular historian in the United States” before the two defended Hitler and accused Churchill of being the “chief villain of the Second World War.” Vance and Carlson are close and Carlson has major influence over Trump; Carlson strongly and successfully encouraged Trump to choose Vance as his running mate.

Trump enthusiastically endorsed Mark Robinson for North Carolina governor, calling him “one of the great stars of the [Republican] Party”––a man who described himself as a “Black Nazi” and declared in 2018, “This foolishness about Hitler disarming MILLIONS of Jews and then marching them off to concentration camps is a bunch of hogwash.”

In contrast: Kamala Harris does not admire Adolf Hitler, has never praised or endorsed Holocaust deniers or self-declared Nazis, and does not go on podcasts with white supremacists.

Trump suggested in September 2024 that in a second term, he would lift sanctions on Iran, saying “I use sanctions very powerfully against countries that deserve it, and then I take them off. Because look, you’re losing Iran, you’re losing Russia… you’re losing so many countries because there is so much conflict with all of these countries…I want to use sanctions as little as possible.” The Republican Party’s 16-page platform document does not mention the word Iran once. Trump withdrew from the [deeply flawed] JCPOA (“Iran deal”) without any plan to replace the oversight the deal required. At the time, Iran was 12 months away from being able to develop a nuclear weapon; without any oversight or obligations to curtail its nuclear activities since 2018, Iran’s nuclear program advanced to the point where the Islamic Republic can have its first nuclear weapon in one to two weeks and up to 10 weapons in 60 days. Despite aggressive verbal posturing vis-a-vis Iran, during his presidency, Trump did not contain Iranian hegemonic or nuclear ambitions. According to Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations: “Throughout his four years in office, Tehran and its proxies helped the Assad regime demolish Syrian society through mass bloodshed; armed Hezbollah with ever more sophisticated weaponry; consolidated a foothold on the Arabian Peninsula through an alliance with the Houthis; harassed shipping in the Gulf; shot down an American surveillance drone; and attacked two oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. In response to this last provocation, Trump did nothing (with bipartisan support), thereby tossing out four decades of declared U.S. policy to protect the oil fields of the region. He did order the assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force commander, Qassem Soleimani. Even so, the Iranians continued their malign activities to which Trump did not respond.”

• In contrast: The Democratic Party platform makes VP Harris’s stance on the threat of Iran clear: “Vice President Harris will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect U.S. forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.” In an October 8th 60 Minutes interview, VP Harris was asked which foreign country she considers to be America’s greatest adversary, to which she responded: “There’s an obvious one which is Iran. Iran has American blood on their hands.” She then cited the Iranian attack on Israel with 200 ballistic missiles. “What we need to do is ensure that Iran never achieves the ability to be a nuclear power; that is one of my highest priorities.”
• Under the Biden-Harris administration, the United States has not lifted a single sanction on Iran and has designated over 700 individuals and entities connected to the full range of Iran’s destabilizing activities and support for terrorism across the Middle East and globally. The Biden-Harris Administration has imposed close to 100 new sanctions on Iran and its terror proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. In her statement following the Iranian missile attack against Israel, VP Harris “unequivocally” condemned the attack. She reaffirmed her position that “Iran is a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East,” that she “fully supports President Biden’s order for the U.S. military to shoot down Iranian missiles targeting Israel,” and, most importantly, that she “will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist militias because her “commitment to the security of Israel is unwavering.” 
• In a pre-Yom Kippur call with the Jewish community, VP Harris was clear: “We know Hamas is not the only threat Israel faces. On October 8, Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel, and the Houthis in Yemen began targeting Israeli cities. And what is the common thread? Well, we all know: Iran, which has now also directly attacked Israel twice. I am clear-eyed. Iran is a destabilizing and dangerous force…Make no mistake, as president, I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend American forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists, and I will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Diplomacy is my preferred path to that end, but all options are on the table.”
• In response to Iran’s direct attack on Israel on October 1, the Biden-Harris administration “announced new and significant measures to more effectively target Iran’s energy trade. The new designations also include measures against the “Ghost Fleet” that carries Iran’s illicit oil to buyers around the world. These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programs and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States, its allies, and partners.” The Biden-Harris administration is in close coordination with the Israeli government to coordinate Israel’s military response to this Iranian attack, which the administration publicly supports.

The words Putin or Russia do not appear once on the RNC’s 16-page platform document. Trump maintains a relationship with Putin, having spoken to him at least 7 times since leaving the White House. Western governments have accused Tehran of supplying Moscow with drones and missiles––while Russia is apparently supplying ballistic missiles to Iran. Iran is attacking Israel with ballistic missiles directly, while also providing weapons and other resources to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, destabilizing the region and funding and supplying arms for a 7-front war against Israel. According to Politico, “Russia isn’t only actively assisting Iran in hardening its defenses against future strikes, it’s also providing Tehran with advanced military technologies and cash from arms sales, further enabling the mullahs to sow discord and violence across the region and beyond.” Trump has publicly declared his support of Russia attacking NATO allies and threatening their sovereignty. Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives (and acquitted by the Senate) for abusing his power and extorting Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, holding hostage hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid which was needed to fend off Russia’s impending invasion, in order to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political rivals, including Joe Biden. In a summit with Putin in 2018 in Helsinki, Trump famously said he took the word of Mr. Putin over his own intelligence agencies on the question of whether Russia had interfered with the 2016 presidential election. Asked his opinions on the future of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, Senator Vance replied, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine, one way or the other.”

In contrast: VP Harris’s stance on Russia and Putin is clear and consistent with U.S. priorities and values. She has condemned Putin as a “brutal dictator” and his violent attack on Ukraine, “a free and independent people.” Harris clearly understands the threat an emboldened Russia poses to America, Israel, and the world; for example, she refuses to meet with Russia for peace talks unless Ukraine is represented as well. VP Harris’s campaign website explains that “[f]ive days before Russia attacked Ukraine, she met with President Zelenskyy to warn him about Russia’s plan to invade and helped mobilize a global response of more than 50 countries to help Ukraine defend itself against Vladimir Putin’s brutal aggression. And she has worked with our allies to ensure NATO is stronger than ever.”  VP Harris understands the role that America must play in continuing to lead and protect the liberal world order, declaring that “The United States supports Ukraine not out of charity, but because it’s in our strategic interest,” in September 2024. During Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. in September, the Biden-Harris administration announced billions of dollars more in missiles, drones, ammunition and other supplies. The weapons include an additional Patriot missile defense battery and a new shipment of glide bombs that can be deployed from Western fighter jets, increasing their strike range. At the Munich Security Conference in February 2024, VP Harris declared that “If we stand by while an aggressor invades its neighbor with impunity, they will keep going – and in the case of Putin, that means all of Europe would be threatened. If we fail to impose severe consequences on Russia, other authoritarians across the globe would be emboldened because you see, they will be watching – they are watching – and drawing lessons. History has also shown us: if we only look inward, we cannot defeat threats from outside; isolation is not insulation. In fact, when America has isolated herself, threats have only grown.”

Today’s Republican Party has an ascendent strain of Isolationism exemplified by the “America First” posture of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. “America First” is a slogan used by the isolationist leaders of 1930s America, Charles Lindbergh and Henry Ford, both supporters of the Nazi regime who argued that America should prioritize domestic interests and avoid entanglement with foreign wars. Republican Party isolationism is the reason Senator J.D. Vance voted against the $15 billion in supplemental aid to Israel in the midst of a 7-front existential war. In his four-year term, Trump pulled out of several essential partnerships, including the Paris Climate Accords, NAFTA, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. As described in detail below, Trump in his first term did everything possible to weaken and undermine NATO, the world’s foremost guarantor of stability and of support for sovereign democracies in the face of autocratic and expansionist regimes. Weakening our global coalitions, undermining our democratic allies and expressing warmth toward   authoritarian leaders, while espousing isolationism and non-interventionism threatens crucial efforts to address climate change, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and so many other global issues. 

• In contrast: VP Harris has the support of nearly the entire foreign policy community. Hundreds of right-wing and hawkish foreign policy leaders, including members of Trump’s prior presidential administration, aggressively oppose his candidacy. Their position is that the threat of a second Trump term is so acute as to warrant an affirmative endorsement of Kamala Harris, regardless of any policy disagreements.
• One of America’s most well-known aggressive foreign policy hawks, former VP Dick Cheney, has endorsed Kamala Harris, saying, “In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump…He can never be trusted with power again. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.” 
• General Mark Milley, Trump’s former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said Trump is “the most dangerous person to this country,” and that he is “fascist to the core.” 
• General John Kelly, Trump’s longest serving White House chief of staff, said Trump is “A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them.’ A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family – for all Gold Star families – on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France…A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.”
• Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster, another Trump National Security Advisers, said Trump was “a flawed commander in chief—mercurial, inconsistent, and easily distracted. He proved susceptible to manipulation by foreign leaders, influence peddlers, and some members of the administration…Unfortunately, his disruptive nature also rendered him, at times, unable to stick with some of his best decisions. For example, by early 2020 he had reversed the South Asia strategy that he had announced in August 2017, resurrecting the fundamental flaws of the Obama policy of 2009–2016 such as giving the Taliban a timeline for U.S. withdrawal and indulging the delusion that the Taliban had moderated itself. Trump, like Obama, asked Pakistani leaders to help broker peace even as they perpetrated violence and invited the virulently anti-American prime minister, Imran Khan, to sit next to him in the Oval Office. Then, he even invited the Taliban to visit Camp David on the anniversary of 9/11 before canceling the visit at the eleventh hour. 
• 741 American foreign policy and national security experts, from across the political spectrum, and hundreds of former Trump associates, staff, or contacts, signed a letter endorsing Kamala Harris and expressing grave concerns and fear over Donald Trump’s behavior, loyalties, and priorities. The letter accuses Trump of “heaping praise on adversarial dictators like China’s Xi Jinping, North Korea’s Kim Jung Un, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, as well as the terrorist leaders of Hezbollah. During the presidential debate in September, Trump lavishly praised Hungary’s authoritarian leader, Viktor Orban, calling him “one of the most respected men” and “smart.” Conversely, Trump has publicly and privately excoriated the leaders of our most steadfast allies, including the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, Canada, and Germany.”

During his first term, Donald Trump did everything possible to undermine and weaken the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, a political and military coalition of 30 states that protects the global world order through a promise of collective defense. During his presidency, he repeatedly threatened to withdraw from NATO. In February 2024, Trump encouraged Russia to attack NATO allies, saying he would tell Russia to “to do whatever the hell they want” if our allies don’t pay enough. Days later, he again said that if he returns to the White House, he would not defend NATO members that don’t meet defense spending targets. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Trump’s comments about the alliance put European and American soldiers at risk. “Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response…Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk.” European Council President Charles Michel described comments from Trump on NATO as “reckless,” adding they “serve only Putin’s interest.” Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton, a conservative foreign policy hawk, expressed his fear that Trump, if elected, will “try to withdraw from NATO” which would be “a catastrophic mistake for the United States.”

In contrast: Kamala Harris is committed to ensuring that NATO is “stronger than ever” for the sake of America, and our allies, in particular Israel. In October 2024, VP Harris tweeted, “I have said often that NATO is the greatest military alliance the world has ever seen — and my commitment to the Alliance is ironclad. President Biden and I will work closely with Secretary General Mark Rutte as he takes office in Brussels.” At the Munich Security Conference in February 2024, she declared that “If we only look inward, we cannot defeat threats from outside; isolation is not insulation. In fact, when America has isolated herself, threats have only grown.” She continued, “I strongly believe America’s role of global leadership is to the direct benefit of the American people. Our leadership keeps our homeland safe, supports American jobs, secures supply chains, and opens new markets for American goods. And I firmly believe our commitment to build and sustain alliances has helped America become the most powerful and prosperous country in the world…To put all of that at risk would be foolish.”

 In the 2024 Republican Platform, adopted at the convention in July, Israel is only mentioned once and vaguely: “We will stand with Israel, and seek peace in the Middle East. We will rebuild our Alliance Network in the Region to ensure a future of Peace.” The words “Iran,” “Russia,” “Putin,” or “Hezbollah” are not mentioned once in the document. The October 7 attack on Israel is not mentioned, nor are the hostages. The only mention of Hamas is about deporting “pro-Hamas radicals” on college campuses. The only mention of the word “Jewish” is next to the only reference to “antisemitism,” describing a policy of deporting people deemed antisemitic: “Republicans condemn antisemitism, and support revoking Visas of Foreign Nationals who support terrorism and jihadism. We will hold accountable those who perpetrate violence against Jewish people.” 

The 2024 Democratic Platform mentions Israel 29 times and contains the strongest pro-Israel plank in American political history. Among other declarations of support for and solidarity with Israel, the Platform declares:

• President Biden is working to build a durable peace in the Middle East bolstered by regional integration, a strong coalition to counter and deter Iran and prevent it and its terrorist proxies from threatening the security of the region, and a negotiated two-state solution that ensures Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state with recognized borders and upholds the right of Palestinians to live in freedom and security in a viable state of their own. The terrorist group Hamas sought to destroy the promise of that vision on October 7, 2023, but they will not succeed. The United States strongly supports Israel in the fight against Hamas. And the hard work of diplomacy under the President’s leadership has made real progress on a way forward that will free the hostages, establish a durable ceasefire, ease humanitarian suffering in Gaza, and make possible normalization between Israel and key Arab states, together with meaningful progress and a political horizon for the Palestinian people.
• The Administration has worked tirelessly to deepen and widen regional integration. In September 2023, President Biden announced a new economic corridor to connect India to Europe through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel. He also directed his Administration to build on the Abraham Accords and work on a historic normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, As a tangible sign of this normalization process, President Biden helped negotiate the first-ever civilian aviation agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, allowing for overflight of Israeli civilian aircraft in Saudi airspace and leading to a more integrated and economically connected Middle East.
• The Administration believes that while Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations, it should remain the capital of Israel, an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths. We support critical assistance to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza, consistent with U.S. law. The Administration opposes any effort to unfairly single out and delegitimize Israel, including at the United Nations or through the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement, while protecting the Constitutional right of our citizens to free speech.
• In response to brazen attacks by Iranian-linked Houthi forces against international commercial shipping, U.S. naval vessels in the Red Sea, and Israel, President Biden ordered military strikes, alongside key allies, against Houthi targets and organized Operation Prosperity Guardian, a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks.
• When Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones against Israel in April 2024, President Biden led an unprecedented defensive coalition – together with partners from Europe and across the Middle East – to defeat the attack, protect Israel, and stop the spread of a wider war. Through direct defensive action by the U.S. military and its partners, Iranian munitions did not cause significant damage, demonstrating both America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel and our unrivaled ability to leverage growing regional integration among U.S. partners to counter Iranian aggression.
• President Biden and Vice President Harris believe a strong, secure, and democratic Israel is vital to the interests of the United States. Their commitment to Israel’s security, its qualitative military edge, its right to defend itself, and the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding is ironclad. President Biden and Vice President Harris recognize the worth of every innocent life, whether Israeli or Palestinian.
• President Biden and Vice President Harris have unequivocally denounced Hamas’s brutal attack on Israel on October 7, condemned the gruesome violence – including conflict-related sexual violence – demonstrated by Hamas and made clear that the United States wants to see Hamas defeated.
• President Biden traveled to Israel – the first U.S. president to do so at a time of war – in the days after October 7 to demonstrate that the United States stands with Israel in its quest for peace and security. He has also defended Israel at the U.N. against one-sided efforts to condemn Israel. The Administration worked with Congressional leaders to pass a historic aid package worth $14 billion to help Israel defend itself and to provide more than $1 billion for additional humanitarian aid to Gaza.