Trump: Israel losing influence in congress and public opinion battle

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israel once had the strongest lobby in Congress 15 years ago, but it has now lost that influence despite maintaining its military superiority.

“Israel was the strongest lobby I’ve ever seen. They had total control over Congress, and now they don’t,” Trump told reporters.

 “Israel is winning the war militarily but losing the battle for public opinion,” he added.

He stressed that no one had given Israel as much as he did during his presidency, describing his support, including backing strikes against Iran, as “complete and unprecedented.”

Trump noted that American politicians “are no longer afraid to criticise Israel” as they once were, pointing to shifts in the US political scene over the war in the Middle East.

He also said that Israel should end the war on Gaza because “it is hurting Israelis.”

Since 7 October 2023, Israeli forces, backed directly by the United States and Western countries, have continued a destructive war in Gaza, which has so far killed and injured more than 224,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the territory.

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