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The Not-So-Special Relationship
Jacob Siegel
August 3, 2026

The wild swings in the U.S.-Israel alliance over two Trump administrations belie a clear trend. Half a century after being formed against the backdrop of the Cold War, the “special relationship” is coming apart. The Israeli and American military establishments are closer than ever, yet the estrangement between their countries’ political elites grows. Despite the great hopes many Israelis had for his presidency, Donald Trump’s unusually strong ties to Israel have not reversed this trend. Support for Israel remains strong among Trump’s base, but a rising faction of Republicans that includes Vice President JD Vance, is converging with the baseline position of Democrats who see Israel as a political liability and are at pains to distance themselves from the alliance. This is what supporters of Israel who see Donald Trump’s Iran deal as a betrayal have to bear in mind. The special relationship has run into the hard limits of America’s interests and political will. People refusing to face this reality imagine that if only the right adviser got into Trump’s ear or if only Marco Rubio became the next president all would be right again. Desperately casting about for an American savior, they have misread the moment. READ MORE