WhatsappThere are many pro-Israel leaders in the Republican Party. Few if any have as strong a command on the history of the modern State of Israel like Ron DeSantis does. That sets him apart from the crowd. Indeed, others have policy positions on Israel that are praiseworthy. But DeSantis is so well-informed that he’s not worried about fielding policy attacks that would test most politicians. He hits back hard – with knowledge.
The more knowledgeable the politican about the history of the State of Israel, the more pro-Israel they tend to be. There were of course exceptions to this rule. But in general, it does hold true. Other Republican leaders who have a rather strong grasp on history that inform them are Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton, and Mike Johnson. Donald Trump is probably one of the least informed Presidents in modern times about the history of the State of Israel. That is why his squarely pro-Israel policies in his 1st term were a pleasant surprise. But one should not assume that he will be as closely aligned with Israel in a 2nd term.
The isolationist wing of the Republican Party has grown in popularity in recent years. Tucker Carlson may be the leading proponent for avoiding nearly all foreign conflicts in order to focus on the massive threat of illegal immigration into the United States. To a certain extent, Donald Trump sees things eye-to eye with Tucker Carlson. However, there is a fundamental difference. Donald Trump does indeed support foreign intervention on a massive but short term scale in order to install fear and remind the world who indeed has the most power.
In Donald Trump’s 1st term, this proved very effective. Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea were largely neutered by the Trump administration. During the Biden administration, only North Korea has stayed quiet. The other bad actors rose up to wreak havoc. Hopefully, a 2nd Trump administration’s foreign policies will mirror the 1st term of the Trump administration. The most encouraging aspect of the Republican Party is the bench that will jump into the 2028 election fray. Between Mike Pompeo, Ron DeSantis, Tom Cotton, Nikki Haley, Marco Rubio, and others, Israel only has a lot of positive to look forward to.
