The consequences of President Trump’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was indicted and extradited to the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, have cost the US government dearly.
The election of Zoran Mamdani as mayor of New York, home to 2 million Jews, reflects Trump’s isolation even within the United States. Various aspects of these impacts, which could lead to new developments in U.S. domestic and foreign policy, are discussed below.
economic cost
The Biden and Trump administrations have provided more than $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, through September 2025, according to results released by Brown University’s Watson School of International Studies. This figure is in addition to agreements signed by the United States to sell tens of billions of dollars in arms and related services over the next few years.
Figures from a supplementary report from the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Politics say the United States spent an additional $65.9 billion on military operations in Yemen and other parts of the Middle East, with total U.S. military spending in the Middle East estimated at about $35.31 billion as of October 2023. The report emphasizes that “without the financial, military and political support of the United States, Israeli forces could not have caused such widespread destruction in Gaza.”
The massive U.S. aid to Israel comes at a time when President Trump, after winning the election, promised that his administration’s top priorities would be to cut overseas spending and repair the country’s dire economic situation. The economic impact of aid to Israel has eroded Trump’s popularity, with a Pew Research Center poll conducted in April 2025 showing that Trump’s aid has created a negative view of Israel among 53% of American adults. This number is a 50% increase among young Republicans under 50 compared to three years ago. Referring to the study, The Caller Daily asked US President Donald Trump to explain this statistic: “I’m aware of this trend, and the Israel lobby in Congress was stronger than any institution, any company, any organization, any government. But that’s no longer the case. There was a time when you couldn’t say bad things about Israel, but today you can.”
prestige cost
In the United States and around the world, the Trump administration is highly disliked for its support of Israeli actions, and polls show that Jewish and non-Jewish students express disgust for the United States and Israel and sympathize with the Palestinians. The Washington Post wrote in a poll that “more than 60% of American Jews consider Israel’s actions in Gaza to be war crimes.”
In a bid to signal his disagreement with Prime Minister Netanyahu and reduce public hatred, President Trump recently said in a statement that “Prime Minister Netanyahu has gone too far and restoring Israel’s prestige in public opinion is a priority for the United States.”
According to Politico, President Trump said in his speech that Israel lost the war in Gaza because images of the war showing destruction were published on social media. In an interview with Time magazine, President Trump said he would cut off U.S. aid to Israel if it wanted to carry out its plans to annex the West Bank. He added that, of course, annexation would not happen because of promises made to Arab countries.
Differences of opinion with Arabs
Although several major Arab countries participated in the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, this should not be seen as a sign of new confidence in the United States. America’s support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza and Israel’s ceasefire violations in Gaza and Lebanon has caused deep rifts between the United States and Arab states, endangering American interests in the region.
Experts studying the position of the Persian Gulf Arab states after the Zionist regime’s attack on Qatar believe that these states had hoped that by taking action against the regime, the United States, Israel’s closest ally, would be able to establish the promised peace, which of course did not happen.
Arab tendencies toward China and Russia, and support for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s position on the need for unity vis-à-vis Israel, are clear signs that Arabs are distancing themselves from the United States.
Traditionally, the relationship between the United States and countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates has been a kind of pact in which the United States guarantees the safety of Arabs and in return these countries provide the oil and gas that the United States needs and invest in the United States. But this situation is now changing, with Arab governments trying to use leverage to persuade Washington to confront Israel.
Disagreements with European Allies
The approach of European countries in supporting the recognition of an independent Palestinian state and the presentation of a two-state plan in international forums reflects the deep differences between Europe and the United States on the Palestinian issue. European leaders are also reacting cautiously to US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza.
Europeans generally welcome the cease-fire, the sending of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the exchange of prisoners, but disagree with the United States on the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and the sovereignty of an independent state. Palestine’s entry into the United Nations and the recognition of a Palestinian state by some European countries can be seen as an expression of differences between the United States and its Western allies. On the other hand, since President Trump took office, discussions regarding cooperation with Europe are facing serious challenges due to President Trump’s “avoidance of alliances.” At the same time, European Union leaders rejected European Commission proposals to reduce trade ties with Israel and impose sanctions on the country’s top officials.