At AIPAC, Donald Trump says he'll never treat 'Israel like a second-class citizen'


Saying he wasn't there to "pander" for votes, Donald Trump told attendees at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference on Monday that he is a friend and lifelong supporter of Israel who views the country as "America's unbreakable cultural brother."
Instead of giving one of his usual off-the-cuff speeches, Trump used a teleprompter for his talk to the pro-Israel lobbying group, and said his "No. 1 priority" as president would be "to dismantle the nuclear deal with Iran." Trump said he studied the deal "more than anyone else," and finds it "catastrophic for America, for Israel, and for the whole of the Middle East." The United Nations, he continued, is weak, and "not a friend of democracy, not a friend of freedom, not a friend even to the United States of America where, as you know, it has its home. It surely is not a friend to Israel."
Trump called Obama the "worst thing to ever happen to Israel," and said on "day one" of his presidency, "the days of treating Israel like a second-class citizen will end." He would immediately meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and "veto any attempt by the U.N. to impose its will on the Jewish state. It will be vetoed 100 percent." Trump saved some of his harshest words for the Palestinians, saying they have rebuffed peace treaties and foster a society where "the heroes are those who murder Jews. We can't let this continue, we can't let this happen any longer." The 25-minute speech concluded with a reminder that Trump loves Israel and that his daughter, Ivanka, is "about to have a beautiful Jewish baby."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
The backlash against ChatGPT's Studio Ghibli filter
The Explainer The studio's charming style has become part of a nebulous social media trend
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Why are student loan borrowers falling behind on payments?
Today's Big Question Delinquencies surge as the Trump administration upends the program
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
WHCA rejects White House press seating grab
Speed Read The White House Correspondents' Association objected to the Trump administration's bid to control where journalists sit during press briefings
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sends more migrants to El Salvador jail
Speed Read Another 17 Venezuelan alleged gang members have been deported to a notorious prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd term
Speed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunder
Speed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published