Lina Altawell
31 July 2026•Update: 31 July 2026
Former Israeli Ambassador to the US Mike Herzog warned that Israel’s influence over decision-making in Washington has declined sharply under US President Donald Trump, the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday.
In an interview with Israeli radio station 103FM, cited by The Jerusalem Post, Herzog said the relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump had lost some of its previous closeness.
“I think something in the intimacy of the relationship has been damaged,” Herzog said.
His remarks came after Netanyahu described a recent meeting with Trump as one of their “best meetings ever,” despite tensions over Iran and questions about Israel’s standing in Washington.
Herzog said the meeting should be viewed more cautiously, noting that it was crowded and lacked signs of close personal engagement.
According to Herzog, the meeting’s main achievement for Netanyahu was that Trump did not publicly criticize Israel or make direct demands.
Netanyahu had an interest in portraying the meeting positively ahead of Israeli elections and in trying to reverse the impression that ties with Trump had deteriorated, the former envoy said.
He also pointed to several diplomatic signals surrounding the meeting, including Netanyahu entering through a side entrance, the absence of a one-on-one meeting, and limited media coverage.
In diplomatic terms, Herzog said, this suggested Trump wanted to avoid appearing overly close to Netanyahu.
“There was a desire to maintain a low profile,” he said.
Herzog linked the cooler atmosphere to political sensitivities in Washington over the war with Iran, saying Israel is increasingly viewed as having pushed Trump into the confrontation.
“The war with Iran is very unpopular,” Herzog said, adding that Israel is perceived as having “dragged Trump into it.”
While Herzog said he does not believe relations between Israel and the Trump administration have reached the level of a full-blown crisis, he warned that the degree of closeness has diminished at a time when major decisions are expected.
“Israel’s influence on decision-making in the United States has diminished greatly,” he said.
He added that although there are no major US-Israeli differences over Iran, Trump does not want the conflict to appear as though it was imposed on him by Netanyahu.
The former ambassador also warned of a broader, long-term decline in Israel’s standing in the United States.
“There has been very serious erosion, and it is not temporary,” Herzog said.
He attributed the decline to demographic, political and economic changes in the US, campaigns to delegitimize Israel, and what he described as mistakes made by successive Israeli governments.
The image of Israel’s current government and the conduct of the war in Gaza have also significantly damaged Israel’s standing, he added.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu acknowledged a decline in the popularity of Israel and his government among the American public, blaming the shift on social media.
A July survey by the Pew Research Center found that Americans have become more critical of both the Israeli people and the Israeli government in recent years.
According to the survey, 42% of Americans held unfavorable views of the Israeli people in 2026, up from 28% in 2019. Favorable views of the Israeli government fell to 32% from 41% over the same period.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. More than 73,000 people have been killed in the enclave since October 2023, and Israel has continued its attacks despite a truce reached in October 2025.
