American allies of President Donald Trump mounted a public defence of his administration this week before an Israeli audience unsettled by a US-Iran memorandum of understanding and a series of critical remarks from the White House. Speaking at a foreign policy conference in Jerusalem, Ambassador Mike Huckabee acknowledged “an enormous level of anxiety about the relationship” but described the bond between the two countries as “unbreakable.” The gathering, dominated by debate over the state of the decades-old alliance, heard conservative commentator Mark Levin break with the president over the Iran deal while still praising Trump’s broader support for religious liberty. The interventions came as Israeli officials and the public grappled with what they perceive as a shift in Washington’s posture.

Viewed from Israel, the interim agreement with Tehran carries the risk of empowering a state regarded as the country’s most lethal enemy and of constraining Israel’s ability to counter threats from Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and many Israelis also express concern over Trump’s insistence on a ceasefire with Hezbollah and his language in response to Netanyahu’s resistance. In recent weeks, according to multiple accounts, Trump referred to the prime minister as “f***ing crazy” and publicly mused about asking Syria to replace Israeli troops in Lebanon. Vice President JD Vance added to the disquiet by stating that Trump is “the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,” a remark that, while intended as a defence, was received in Israel as a stark warning of diplomatic isolation.

From Washington’s perspective, the administration’s approach reflects a calculation that a prolonged military campaign is difficult to sustain domestically, particularly with an election approaching and energy prices a sensitive issue. The criticism emanating from Republican circles is especially troubling for Israelis because it compounds a longer-term trend: Democrats have become far more vocal in their censure of Israeli military operations, and polling data now show a generational fracture among conservatives. A Pew Research Center survey from late March found that 57 per cent of Republicans aged 18–49 hold an unfavourable view of Israel, up from 50 per cent a year earlier. Conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg, addressing the Jerusalem audience, acknowledged that “a lot of people in Israel are very, very upset” but argued that Trump remained the best option, adding of Vance: “You could have JD Vance. Good luck with that.”

The current strain follows a period of intense cooperation, including a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran and Trump-era measures such as the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem and the brokering of the Abraham Accords. Yet the four-month war and the scale of destruction in Gaza have eroded American public sympathy, while the decision to open a direct military front with Iran has proven deeply unpopular even among Trump’s conservative base. Victoria Coates, a former deputy national security adviser now at the Heritage Foundation, suggested the relationship was under pressure but expressed confidence that leaders on both sides would steer it “back on track.” For now, the memorandum with Iran is in effect, and ceasefire discussions continue, leaving the alliance in a state of visible friction without a clear resolution. The next test is expected to come as the administration presses for Israeli concessions in Lebanon and as the domestic political calendar in the United States advances.