Trump remarks on diminishing impact of pro-Israel groups in Congress

What the report says

US President Donald Trump used a pre-recorded interview on the MAGA-friendly Real America’s Voice network to say that pro-Israel lobbying groups no longer have the influence in Washington that they once did. In comments aired Tuesday, Trump said the biggest change he has seen over the past decade involves Israel and Jewish Americans, arguing that the political landscape in Congress, including among House Democrats, has shifted sharply.

Al Jazeera reported that Trump’s remarks came amid broader signs of weakening support for Israel in the United States, including a recent AP-NORC survey showing growing opposition among Democrats and more division among Republicans. The article also noted that Trump had made similar observations before, including in 2025, when he said support for Israel among younger Republicans was declining and that Israel’s once-strong backing in Congress was no longer assured.

During the interview, Trump also repeated a familiar insult aimed at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, whom he has previously described in derogatory terms using “Palestinian” as an attack line. Al Jazeera said those comments have drawn criticism from Jewish and Muslim groups. The exchange is significant because it reflects how Israel has become a more divisive political issue in Washington, especially as debate continues over the war in Gaza and the wider US-Israel relationship.