In this blog post, we’ll analyze the background of this question by examining poll results, differences in political party stances, and the influence of evangelical groups to determine whether the U.S. truly supports Israel.
Is the U.S. really on Israel’s side? You might think, “Isn’t that a given?” but according to a Gallup poll, only 32% of Americans support Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip. In other words, only one-third of Americans support it, which is the lowest level on record. It’s a surprising result. You might be thinking, “Americans don’t support Israel?”
When we break down these figures by political party, the difference becomes even more stark. Seventy-one percent of supporters of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, which controls Congress, support Israel. In contrast, only 8% of Democratic supporters back Israel. This can be interpreted to mean that over 90% of the Democratic base does not support Israel’s current actions. Support among moderates also hovers around 25%. This highlights a significant gap in perception between Republican supporters and other groups. So why don’t Democratic supporters and moderates support Israel?
Here’s a hint: there is a substantial Jewish population in the United States. Over 70% of them are traditionally Democratic supporters. Yet, only 8% support Israel. In contrast, while Jews who support the Republican Party account for only about 20% at most, 71% of the Republican base as a whole supports Israel. This situation can be summed up as a “Jewish team without Jews.” Much like the expression “Hong Cheol’s team without Hong Cheol,” which was popular on a past variety show, the current political landscape in the U.S. also reflects such irony.
So why does this phenomenon occur? Another key group supporting President Trump is the faction that strongly backs Israel—namely, conservative Christian groups, particularly evangelicals. This group believes that “America is heading in the wrong direction and the Democratic Party is corrupting the nation,” and that “Trump can resolve various social issues, including abortion and gender identity.” Their numbers reach approximately 45 million.
The relationship between these evangelicals and Israel runs very deep. One of their core beliefs is that “the Bible has already given the land of Israel to the Jewish people.” There is a perspective that interprets not only Israel but also parts of Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt as Jewish land. This belief is not limited to the religious sphere; it is repeatedly emphasized in conservative media as well. In fact, Fox News has even published articles making the claim that “the Bible says Israel is the land of the Jews. This has been a fact for 3,000 years.”
The reason this belief is significant is that it is linked to eschatological expectations. It leads to the belief that when Israel becomes fully the land of the Jews, Jesus Christ will return to save Christians. According to a 2013 Pew Research Center survey, 82% of white evangelicals believe that “God gave Israel to the Jewish people,” and 92% said they believe in the Second Coming of Jesus. This means that tens of millions of people share these beliefs.
These religious beliefs are directly linked to politics. Exit polls indicate that approximately 80% of evangelicals support President Trump. From Trump’s perspective, they are a core base of support he must secure to win elections. Therefore, it is difficult for him to ignore their demands.
A key turning point in this trend occurred in 2015. At that time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech before the U.S. Congress, publicly criticizing President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal. It was an extremely unusual situation for a foreign leader to criticize the U.S. president’s policies on the floor of the U.S. Congress, and this incident served as a catalyst for the growing rift between the Democratic Party and evangelical groups.
The situation became even more pronounced after President Trump took office. In 2017, he officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and declared that he would relocate the U.S. embassy there. While this sent shockwaves through the international community, it was a powerful political reward for evangelicals. To them, Trump began to be seen as a leader who fulfilled their religious expectations.
Following the Hamas attacks in 2023, the stance of evangelicals became even more hardline. They criticized the fact that such an incident occurred under a Democratic administration and demanded a strong response. Notably, Senator Lindsey Graham sparked controversy by publicly expressing support for Israel’s hardline response.
This trend also influenced domestic U.S. politics. In 2024, protests against Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip spread across U.S. college campuses, but claims that these were “anti-war protests” clashed with criticism labeling them “anti-Semitic and anti-state acts.” President Trump prioritized cracking down on permanent residents and student visa holders among the protesters, and universities also faced intense pressure. As major universities like Harvard and Columbia responded to this, freedom of political expression on campus was significantly curtailed.
Ultimately, the reason the U.S. appears to unilaterally support Israel is not simply a matter of diplomatic strategy, but because it is deeply connected to the massive religious and political foundation of evangelicalism. This serves as a prime example of how the internal political structure and belief systems within the U.S. exert a profound influence on international relations.
