Israeli columnist deletes Trump profile photo in protest over U.S.-Iran understanding

A dramatic memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran has triggered anger, shock, and disappointment among right-wing Israeli political figures and commentators, who see President Donald Trump as abandoning Israel. The article says the backlash reflects a deep sense of frustration in Jerusalem over developments in Washington.

Among the most visible gestures of protest was one by Ariel Kahana, the senior political commentator for Israel Hayom. On Monday morning, in a short post on his X account, Kahana announced, "I deleted my profile picture with Trump. That's it."

By removing the image, Kahana ended a long period in which his official account displayed a photo of him with Trump, whom many in Israel had recently viewed as the country’s strongest ally in the White House. The move was meant as a symbolic sign of protest.

According to the article, the gesture mirrors the mood among commentators and decision-makers in Jerusalem, who view the emerging interim deal with Tehran as clear American capitulation. They believe it leaves Israel’s essential security interests exposed at a particularly sensitive and tense moment in the region.