Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the leading candidates for the Republican Party's presidential nomination, continued to walk back previous statements that he would eventually reduce US aid to Israel and even pledged to increase military aid to the Jewish State if he is elected as President of the US.
In an interview with Israel Hayom, Ramaswamy stated that he has visited Israel many times and learned a lot during those visits. He stated that the economic breakthrough that made him a billionaire was made in successful cooperation with Israeli entrepreneurs.
Ramaswamy noted that US aid to Israel is "a drop in the bucket" compared to the larger US defense budget, but it benefits US industries because a lot of the work and manufacturing is carried out in the US due to requirements that much of the aid money be spent in the US. Therefore, he stated, it would be "foolish" to cut US aid to Israel, calling such aid "good for America and good for Israel." He further stated that it benefits both countries to strengthen America's industrial base.
On the other hand, Ramaswamy stated that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the US government and said that Israel no longer required American aid, then the aid could be reevaluated. But the aid would continue until Israel says it is time to end it.
Ramaswamy's comments are in line with another interview he gave to Israel's Channel 12 News two days ago. “What I actually said was that if our relationship with Israel ever gets Israel to the point of being so strong that Israel doesn’t even need our aid anymore, that will actually be a mark of success of a true friendship. I want this to be clear – we will never cut off aid to Israel until Israel tells us that they are ready for it."
Ramaswamy was criticized by other Republican candidates for his stated desire to end US military aid to Israel by 2028. His call to end the aid was based on the hope that he would be able to broker an 'Abraham Accords 2.0" as president which would change Israel's geo-political position such that American aid would no longer be necessary.
Fellow candidate and former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley strongly criticized Ramaswamy's comments, saying: "Ramaswamy is completely wrong to call for ending America’s special bond with Israel. Supporting Israel is both the morally right and strategically smart thing to do."
"This is part of a pattern with Vivek—his foreign policies have a common theme: they make America less safe," she said.