| Dog whistles. As if Thomas Friedman cared about the real Israel, the one that has not traded its safety for an impossible Palestinian state or two, the one that keeps reelecting Bibi Netanyahu. |
[The Federalist] President Trump seems to be trying in earnest to end the Iran war that we embarked upon on Israel’s behalf, and it’s upsetting all the right people. If New York Times columnists Bret Stephens and Thomas Friedman are disappointed, the president is doing something right.
These are the Israel First type people who are anathema to Trump’s stated 2016, 2020, and 2024 campaign agendas. They’re not just uninterested in what Trump said were his priorities. They’re directly opposed to them.
Here’s what Friedman said this week after Trump announced that the U.S. and Iran had reached the early stages of a settlement to the war: "Trump sold out America’s ally in the war, Israel, and the Arab Gulf states for the swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan. ... He had to stop the war now to get prices down by November. ... So, Trump did what he always does: He abandoned all principle and all allies and put his personal interests above all other considerations."
Note the way Friedman says Trump "sold out America’s ally" for the sake of siding with states in the actual U.S. That’s like blaming someone for siding with his family over his coworkers. But that’s genuinely how Israel Firsters like Friedman view the world — America’s responsibility is first to other nations, rather than its own citizenry. Friedman considers the opposite to be selfish, which is why he framed Trump’s decision as "his personal interests," because he can’t fathom a president who would prioritize the economic well-being of Americans over the war aims of Israel. |