Trump
TrumpReuters

In an interview with Ami Magazine published this week, former US President Donald Trump expressed his disappointment with the response of American Jewry to policies he spearheaded as President, policies widely regarded as extremely beneficial to Israel.

“I did the Heights, I did Jerusalem, and I did Iran … I believe we got 25% of the Jewish vote, and it doesn’t make sense,” Trump said. “It just seems strange to me.”

Trump was referring to his administration’s decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, long sought by successive Israeli governments; to the moving of the American embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv; and to America’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal that was seen as damaging to Israel’s security. These policies were hailed in Israel with Trump considered by many as the best President for Israel in decades. However, this did not, apparently, translate into votes in US ballot boxes.

Trump suggested, later in the same interview, that this was because, “Jewish people who live in the United States don’t love Israel enough." "Does that make sense to you?," he asked.

He also noted that, “I’m not talking about Orthodox Jews” – and indeed, the increasing support for the Republican Party among the US Orthodox population has long been noted. Among non-Orthodox and non-affiliated Jews, however, support for the Democratic Party remains strong.