Israeli Public Trust in Trump Hits Historic Low Amid Iran Deal Concerns

New data from the Jewish People Policy Institute's July 2026 survey reveals a sharp decline in Israeli public trust in U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside complex views on recent regional agreements following the war. For the first time since the institute began tracking, fewer than 10% of Israelis express strong confidence that Trump will act correctly in U.S.-Israel relations, with only 7% showing high trust and 45% expressing no trust at all. This marks a dramatic fall from January 2025, when 32% had strong trust, and from March 2026 during Operation "Harry's Roar," when trust peaked at 34%. The decline accelerated over four months amid the signing of the Iran nuclear deal and controversial statements by Trump, with trust dropping from 19% in April to 7% in July.

Even among right-wing Israelis, traditionally Trump's core supporters, strong trust fell from 29% a year ago to 8% currently, while distrust more than doubled. The center and left camps show even deeper crises of confidence, with 58% and 74% respectively expressing no trust, and none showing strong trust. Among 2022 Likud voters, 15% still express strong trust, but distrust reaches 58% to 77% in centrist and left-wing parties. Among Jewish Israelis, only 5% maintain strong trust, while 46% have none.

Despite the drop in trust toward Trump and debates over U.S. policy, 74% of Israelis still view the United States as a true friend. Two-thirds of Israelis (66%) and three-quarters of Jews (77%) believe Israel should coordinate with the U.S. government but act independently when disagreements arise.

The survey also highlights broad opposition across political lines to the U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement signed in July. Now, 68% of Israelis say the deal is bad for Israel, with 56% calling it "very bad," up sharply from 34% in June. Only 14% view it positively. Among Jewish Israelis, 68% say it is very bad, with zero expressing strong approval. Opposition spans all Jewish parties, from Likud (72%) and Religious Zionism (89%) to Labor (91%) and Meretz (81%). Conversely, 57% of Israeli Arabs view the deal as good for Israel.

In contrast, the U.S.-brokered agreement with Lebanon enjoys wide support, with 63% of Israelis considering it good for Israel, including 63% of Jews and 64% of Arabs, and strong backing across right and left political camps.

Regarding Gaza policy, public opinion remains divided. Forty-three percent of Israelis prefer weakening Hamas through economic and diplomatic means, while 35% support resuming military operations until goals are met. Among Jews, 41% favor renewed fighting, and 50% prefer non-military pressure. Among Israeli Arabs, 51% want to maintain the status quo and peace. Politically, 68% of right-wing Israelis support renewed fighting, whereas 70% of centrists and 92% of left-wing Israelis favor economic and diplomatic pressure.