QUESTION ASKED: Will Trump’s new cabinet be good for Israel?
Trump has pleased Jewish supporters with three early Cabinet-level appointments. Trump chose New York Representative and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik to be his ambassador to the United Nations. There, Stefanik plans to advance “America First peace through strength leadership on the world stage.”
Stefanik has repeatedly spoken in support of Israel and Israeli hostages since October 7. However, she truly stood out and won many Jewish fans with her tough questioning of university presidents during the House’s campus antisemitism hearings last academic year. Given that Israel remains the United Nation’s idee fixe, and the institution remains awash in antisemitism, Stefanik should be well prepared for her new position.
Trump’s second appointment is also a New Yorker. Trump has tapped former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin, a Jewish Republican, to be his Environmental Protection Agency Administrator. Before New York’s Jewish Democrats — particularly the Orthodox — crossed over to vote for Trump this month, they voted for Zeldin when he ran for governor of New York as a voice of moderation, back in 2022. Zeldin posted on Twitter/X, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalise our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
The third Cabinet-level appointment, by far the biggest name so far, is reported to be Florida Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State. Rubio has represented Florida’s sizeable Jewish community in the Senate since his election in 2010. The New York Times characterised Rubio as “a foreign policy hawk, taking hard lines on China and Iran in particular.” Rubio is also knowledgeable about foreign policy, fluent in all the issues he would have to handle as Secretary. Finally, it’s worth noting that unlike others who could have been named as Trump’s Secretary of State, Rubio is not an isolationist and would immediately reverse Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s intense hostile-to-Israel energy. America’s allies abroad should be cheered by Rubio’s selection.
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There are still consequential positions like Secretary of Defense and Attorney General that remain unclaimed, but Trump is off to a strong start with his nominations. American Jews who supported Trump over concerns about antisemitism and Israel should feel comfortable that Trump sees them, and their concerns should be addressed by the incoming administration. Change is coming.
Worst. Hitler. Ever.
Related: Trump nominates Mike Huckabee for US ambassador to Israel.