Jewish lobby no longer the most powerful in US: Trump

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has claimed that Congress is “becoming antisemitic,” asserting that the “Jewish lobby” is no longer the most powerful force in Washington.

Trump made the remarks while addressing a White House Hanukkah reception on Tuesday night.

“I will always be a friend and a champion of the Jewish people,” Trump said. “If you go back 10, 12, or 15 years, the strongest lobby in Washington was the Jewish lobby. It was Israel. That’s no longer true.”

Reflecting on past conversations, Trump added, “My father used to tell me the most powerful lobby in this country is the Jewish lobby — the Israeli lobby. It’s not that way anymore.”

Trump further claimed that Congress is no longer serving the interests of the Jewish community effectively.

“You have to be very careful. You have a Congress, in particular, that is becoming antisemitic,” he said, naming several Democratic lawmakers.

He alleged that some members of Congress “hate Israel” and warned that such sentiments are increasing, particularly in the House of Representatives, though he said similar trends are beginning to appear in the Senate.

Trump also highlighted what he described as his pro-Israel policies during his presidency, including recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

“I sold the rights to the Golan Heights to Israel… It could be worth trillions of dollars,” he says.

Notably, public support for Israel in the United States has shown signs of decline, particularly among Democrats and younger Americans. A July 2025 Gallup poll indicated that only 32 percent of Americans approved of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, reflecting a notable drop from previous surveys.

Gallup data also showed a shift in public sympathy. In 2016, 62 percent of Americans expressed sympathy for Israelis compared to 15 percent for Palestinians. That gap has since narrowed to 33 percent, marking the first time fewer than half of respondents expressed sympathy for Israel.