Pro Israel

[Keith Broaders]

Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election against Kamala Harris. Pro-Israel lobbying groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), have historically advocated for strong U.S. support of Israel across both parties, but they aligned more closely with Republicans and Trump in recent cycles. These groups provided substantial financial backing to Trump's campaigns, with pro-Israel interests spending over $230 million since 2020 in ways that benefited him, including through political action committees (PACs) and independent expenditures on ads and voter outreach.

In the 2024 cycle specifically, AIPAC and affiliated pro-Israel PACs broke records by pouring at least $45 million into congressional races, with 98% of their endorsed candidates winning, including many Republicans. This funding helped shape a pro-Israel congressional landscape that could support Trump's foreign policy agenda, and some of it indirectly or directly aided his presidential bid through donor networks and grassroots efforts. The Republican Jewish Coalition, for instance, spent over $15 million on targeted outreach to Jewish voters in support of Trump.

However, it's an oversimplification to say this support alone "got" Trump elected. While it contributed through funding and endorsements—Trump positioned himself as a staunch ally to Israel during his first term and campaigned on it in 2024—his victory was driven by a broader coalition, including shifts in turnout among Black, Hispanic, and working-class voters, as well as issues like the economy and immigration. Jewish American voters, often a focus in discussions of "Zionist support," overwhelmingly backed Harris (63-71%), though Trump improved his share compared to 2020, capturing around 30-35%. Pro-Israel groups' influence was more pronounced in down-ballot races and policy advocacy than in decisively swinging the presidential popular or electoral vote.

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