Evangelical preacher Mike Evans, a Republican insider and close associate of U.S. President Donald Trump, tried to reassure Israelis amid recent harsh signals from Washington. In an interview with ynet, he said, “The Israelis should stay 100% calm, Trump has not turned against you at all.”
Evans argued that the current tone does not reflect Trump’s policy toward Israel, pointing to the release of hostages, recognition of Jerusalem and action against Iran as evidence of a pro-Israel record. He said Trump is trying to avoid damage in the U.S. midterm elections in November, warning that there is “no chance” Trump would “drink the poison cup” of an Iran deal or give Iran “300 billion dollars.”
He also addressed concerns over Vice President JD Vance’s recent criticism of cabinet ministers, saying Vance is not the president and that there are effectively two camps advising Trump. One camp includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary and the CIA chief, whom he described as strongly supportive of Israel. The other, he said, includes figures such as Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and Tom Barrack, who favor diplomacy because of the effects on the U.S. and global economy.
Evans insisted that Israel has nothing to apologize for, comparing its position to American retaliation if rockets were fired daily at Texas cities. He said any memorandum with Iran would still depend on Israel’s security needs, and that Benjamin Netanyahu could block it if withdrawal from Lebanon would endanger Israel. He added that if Trump loses the midterms, Democrats could take control of the House and move against him, while also backing an anti-Israel presidency.
Looking to the next U.S. election cycle, Evans said he has already launched a campaign for Marco Rubio and Ivanka Trump to run together, claiming JD Vance has “zero chance” of becoming president. He ended by saying he is not worried about the Trump-Netanyahu relationship and described both men as short-sleeping leaders who speak plainly.
