Epstein and making the case for US support for Israel - 01 December 2025

Many refer to the Epstein Affair as a "pervert case."

It's also likely a "corruption at the highest levels of US/Israeli relations" case... considering the number of Zionist supporting billionaires (Jewish and non-Jewish) on Epstein's Little Saint James fly list. Moreover, Epstein reportedly met with former Israel PM Ehud Barak dozens of times. Ehud Barak met with Jeffrey Epstein dozens of times, flew on private plane -- report | The Times of Israel. 

Trump's pathetically inept and transparent efforts to suppress release of the Epstein files likely has more to do with his felt need to hold back information that would expose a messy backroom of sex and money laundering-charged Israel/US relations than it does about the
risk of his being exposed as a pervert. As an aside, I continue to believe Trump has been ill served by his Attorney General, Pam Bondi, in handling this matter.

Trump might think that outing of compromising information from the Epstein files could result in a serious set-back in US, Israeli relations, or worse, destabilization of the entire political order, particularly at a time when there is a growing resistance to ongoing US support for Israel coming from the public.

Rising resistance? What rising resistance?

Conservative social media voices, Tucker Carlson, Candice Owens, Dave Smith, Nick Fuentes etc., are putting forward the case that Israel has been the tail wagging the US dog. Before his assassination, Charlie Kirk was distancing himself from his previous unequivocal support of Israel. Why are we giving so much money to Israel to fight wars? they say, when Trump campaigned as an anti-war candidate. Trump campaigned on an America first theme, they say. How can Trump send so much money to Israel (and Ukraine) when we have so many problems at home that are being unaddressed? they say. Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, they say.

Marjorie Taylor Green (MTG) claims her turn against DJT is related to Trump's equivocation about the Epstein affair and Trump's seeming obsession, contrary to his campaign promises, to continue US involvement in foreign, including Israeli, conflicts.

There is a schism developing in the conservative movement re support for Israel. On the opposite side of the "Israel is the tail wagging the US dog" crowd are media influencers like Bari Weiss, Mark Levin and Ben Shapiro. The strategy of this center to right Israel supporting group has been to denounce the self-proclaimed "America first" group as kooks, fringe players and crack pots.

The "crackpots," i.e., Carlson, Fuentes, Candace Owens and Dave Smith have, together, over 25 million followers on social media. The influence of social media is growing faster than traditional TV and cable news. 54% of Americans report their news from social media. 46%% report getting their news from TV. The gap is steadily widening in favor of social media. Considering the power of the growing anti-Israel movement, the pro-Israel pundits need to consider a different strategy rather than just calling their opposition bad names.

In this environment of media shift from TV to social media, and the growing force of anti-Israel themes, I have yet to hear the argument in support of a special American relationship with Israel. Supporters of the "special" US relationship with Israel need to make the case for that relationship instead of trying to shout down growing Israel opposition. A solid case can, and should, be made for a strong relationship between the US and Israel.

Reasons for a Strong US/Israel relationship:

  • Shared Democratic Values: Israel stands as the only stable democracy in the Middle East, embodying principles of freedom, pluralism, and the rule of law that align closely with American ideals, fostering a natural alliance that promotes global democratic stability.
  • Strategic Security Partnership: As a key ally in a volatile region, Israel serves as America's "eyes and ears," providing critical intelligence on terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern threats, which helps prevent attacks on U.S. soil and interests without deploying American troops.
  • Military and Technological Collaboration: U.S. funding enables joint development of advanced defenses like Iron Dome and David's Sling, which not only protect Israel but enhance U.S. military capabilities against missiles, drones, and cyber threats, while Israel supplies niche technologies to the American armed forces.
  • Countering Common Enemies: Both nations face shared threats from state-sponsored terrorism, Islamic radicalism, and actors like Iran and its proxies (e.g., Hamas, Hezbollah); disproportionate aid ensures Israel can act as a frontline defender, deterring aggression and reducing the need for direct U.S. intervention.
  • Economic Benefits and Job Creation: Aid is largely spent on U.S.-made weapons, supporting over 20,000 American jobs and billions in contracts; Israel's innovations in tech, cyber-security, and AI drive U.S. competitiveness, with thousands of U.S. firms operating there and creating nearly 100,000 jobs back home.
    Promoting Regional Stability: U.S. support helps maintain Israel's qualitative military edge, facilitating peace initiatives like the Abraham Accords and partnerships with Arab states, which advance American goals of countering extremism and fostering Middle East peace.
  • Addressing Global Challenges: Israel's expertise in areas like water scarcity, renewable energy, and high-tech agriculture provides solutions to U.S. non-military issues, such as sustainable development and climate change, through collaborative innovations that benefit American society.
  • Cost-Effective Investment: Annual aid of around $4 billion represents a tiny fraction of U.S. spending (less than 0.00001% of federal budget) but yields outsized returns in security, economic growth, and geopolitical influence, justifying disproportionate funding given Israel's unique threats and contributions.

Rather than shouting down anti-Israel conservative pundits, pro-Israel pundits need to make the affirmative case for a strong US/Israeli relationship. Only legitimate, open public debate about the Israeli/US relationship can compete with any messy fallout emerging from public release of the Epstein files.