Trump Just Said Something Shocking About Israel

Donald Trump's recent on-the-tarmac remarks claiming he's 99% popular in Israel and that Prime Minister Netanyahu would 'do whatever I want him to do' have ignited a firestorm of political and strategic scrutiny. The Bulwark's JVL and Andrew Egger dissect the contradictions in Trump’s rhetoric—simultaneously portraying Netanyahu as a mistreated wartime leader while asserting total control over him—revealing a deeper psychological pattern: Trump’s need to see himself as the ultimate alpha, even as he misrepresents geopolitical realities. The conversation pivots to the recent defeat of Kentucky’s Thomas Massey, where Trump’s opposition and AIPAC’s massive spending underscore a paradox: while Trump and pro-Israel lobbying power are losing national traction, they remain dominant forces in Republican primaries, creating a political time capsule where loyalty to Trump and Israel funding still guarantee victory in red districts. Yet, as younger Republicans increasingly diverge from this orthodoxy—evidenced by J.D. Vance’s ambivalence and rising skepticism among younger voters—the long-term sustainability of this alliance is in serious doubt. The episode reveals a critical tension: Trump’s populist instincts are misaligned with shifting generational attitudes on Israel, much like his earlier missteps on vaccines.