Photo via Vox
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The relationship between the far right in the United States and the state of Israel is one that has been integral to each group’s support and development. It is no surprise that the Republican Party has been one of Israel’s strongest supporters since its establishment in 1948. The American government in general has historically been open to supporting Israel’s interests, but the Republican Party specifically has more openly acted as a primary backer of the country’s affairs. However, this support for Israel is beginning to deteriorate. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that young conservatives have indicated an increase in unfavorable views toward Israel, with the number growing from 35% to 50%. The big question at hand is: why? What are the possible reasons for this general shift within parts of the party? It can be attributed to a combination of reasons. The first is the current war between Israel and Hamas and the fear regarding the extensive amount of U.S. involvement. The second is the general shift from certain political figures and commentators such as Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens. The last is the resurgence of antisemitism within the far right that, according to NPR, has always been present but has been exacerbated by recent events.
Before examining the shift that is taking place, it’s important to discuss the history of the relationship between the Republican Party and Israel; specifically, why the conservative party has been in constant support of the country’s goals. One of the overarching factors contributing to this relationship is the rise of the Religious Right and especially the increase in the values that evangelical Christians place in politics. The second is the alignment between the conservative movements in the U.S. and Israel.
The rise of evangelical values in politics is one of the most important reasons for the right’s support of Israel, as the country has significant biblical ties. Biblical scripture speaks about the end times, and the “Abrahamic covenant” (the idea that God promised land to Abraham and his descendants) makes reference to it taking place in Israel. This has been equated to the modern-day nation-state of Israel. After the establishment of the country, different evangelical pastors went and visited. Most prominently, Pastor Billy Graham not only preached but also met with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Visits and meetings like these popularized Israel’s standing among the right and led to the country’s goals and foreign relations to become central concerns for conservative republicans. This support was only increasing in the years to come, especially after the 9/11 attacks, as Israel served as a close ally to the United States in that region. These evangelical backers of the State of Israel have transformed into what are now known as Christian Zionists, and as their support for the country increases, the American left grows more skeptical.
The second reason why support from the right has been strong—apart from religious reasons—is that U.S. conservative elites may have felt some affinity and similarity to the Israeli conservative party in regard to their own policies. Additionally, the presence of a relatively strong democracy in the country, especially during the height of the Cold War, served as a basis for support among the neoconservatives (the ascendants of the 1970s Republican Party). However, there has been a shift, as mentioned before, in public opinion on Israel, especially among young conservatives. This shift is coming to a crossroads in the ongoing war between the changing opinions among popular conservative figures, and the antisemitism that is present in parts of the conservative party.
The ongoing war in Gaza is one of the most recent but important developments that play into the changing attitudes toward Israel and the shift away from conservative support. According to a survey, today, only 32% of young evangelicals sympathize with Israel over the Palestinians.This shift is not only rooted in the condemnation of how the war is being waged in Gaza by the Israeli government, but also stems from the worry of the U.S. being too involved in another Middle East conflict and allowing it to drive our foreign policy to a point that does not put America first. More specifically, this can be seen over this past summer, when the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israel, leading to a regional conflict and leaving Americans feeling uncertain about how this would drive further military and foreign policy decisions. Public opinion is not the only thing to have changed as some Republican political figures have since changed their views. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X that the situation in Gaza amounted to “genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation,” becoming the first Republican in Congress to describe the situation in Gaza as a genocide, which served as an indication of growing skepticism on the right about Israel’s conduct of the war.
Changes in attitudes of popular conservative political commentators also have been of influence in attitudes toward Israel. Figures such as Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson have been criticizing Israel more often. Candace Owens was an avid pro-Israel advocate, and spent a portion of her career supporting the Zionist cause. She explained how after October 7th, her views began to change and have since been implementing it within her content. This change in rhetoric of what she is promoting has the potential to change the minds of viewers who consume her media, influencing this shift. The same applies to Carlson, except he was never pro-Israel and has always criticized the country. It is only gaining traction in the discourse as others are coming forward and changing their stance. However, it is important to note that some of what Owens promotes is rooted in harmful stereotypes and tropes that feed into antisemitism. For example, while she was discussing how Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, went on a podcast. Owens commented about this saying, “Two years ago, the mere idea that you might share a perspective that Jews are controlling the media, that would be considered antisemitic. You would be called a Jew hater. Fast forward to 2025, and Bibi Netanyahu is now hosting an on-camera meeting.” The claim that the idea that Jews control the media can be understood as an antisemitic trope. This connects to the larger idea of the underlying role of antisemitism that has been present in the right.
The vast support that the right has given to Israel has often undermined the genuine antisemitism that is present in some parts of the party. Many Trump-era Republicans have helped integrate antisemitic dog whistles into their existing rhetoric. One of the old conspiracies that is being revived has been the idea that Jewish elites hold power and control in opposition to the interests of the country they reside in. This trope is being reflected in conversations today surrounding the populist loathing of an elite “ruling class.” “Globalists” or “globalist elites” are blamed for everything from Black Lives Matter to the influx of migrants across the southern border. One globalist who is often blamed is George Soros, a Jewish Hungarian philanthropist, who is also a Holocaust survivor. He has spent most of his life funding democratic institutions. With this, he has been a primary target of blame from people on the right. Just recently, Trump himself blamed Soros and the foundations he supports by posting on social media, “George Soros and his wonderful radical left son, should be charged with RICO because of their support of violent protests, and much more, all throughout the United States of America.” Even before this last presidential election, Trump has used Soros as a common enemy of the right, depicting him as a puppet master controlling Joe Biden and the man behind the curtain destroying the U.S. While members of the right may not understand the antisemitic sentiments that resonate with this rhetoric, it adds to these popular dog whistles that are often disregarded by the right’s constant support for Israel and its foreign policy goals.
The past two years since the October 7th attacks have been filled with vast political turmoil and shifting alignments. The shift within the right is one to be observed closely. Both political parties are pro-Israel in the sense of wanting to maintain the U.S.-Israeli alliance, but the character of the right’s support of the country was more unconditional. This change in support is vital for the Israeli government, as losing this alliance could further affect its own foreign policy goals and the general attitudes toward the country and its actions.
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This article was edited by Sidney Blasco and Sophie Reilly.
Anika Bobeck 
Daniela Cadena Hernandez 
Sara Starace