Eric Trump Meets Baku Chief Rabbi, Affirms Azerbaijan-Israel Alliance

Eric Trump, son of former U.S. President Donald Trump, met this week with Rabbi Zamir Isayev, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Baku, Azerbaijan, during a special event at the U.S. Congress. The meeting took place on July 14 as part of a celebration marking 250 years of American independence, organized by Project Legacy. The event included representatives from U.S. allied countries, including an Azerbaijani delegation featuring Rabbi Isayev and Rasim Khalilov, chairman of Azerbaijan's Bible Society and leader of the Protestant community.

During their conversation, Eric Trump emphasized the strong ties between Azerbaijan and Israel, calling Azerbaijan "our friend" and Israel "our ally." They discussed developments in the South Caucasus and the strategic cooperation between the two nations. Rabbi Isayev highlighted that relations between Jerusalem and Baku are supported not only by official diplomacy but also by grassroots community connections. He noted that religious and right-wing Israeli political groups helped prevent deterioration in relations following certain tensions.

Rabbi Isayev also shared that Jews in Azerbaijan live securely with religious freedom and without antisemitism, attributing this to support from both the government and society. Eric Trump referenced the recent agreement signed at the White House between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, expressing hope that the regional transport corridor project TRIPP would soon advance and bring peace to the area. Rabbi Isayev thanked Eric Trump for his support of Israel and Azerbaijan and wished for continued strengthening of cooperation among the three countries.