Former New York lawmaker says Trump’s Iran approach could end badly for Israel

Former New York State Assembly member Dov Hikind voiced deep frustration with President Donald Trump over the administration’s stance on Iran and its signing of a memorandum of understanding. In a post on X, Hikind said, “I don’t believe that President Trump abandoned Israel, but I think that the memorandum of understanding is a mistake that has the potential for devastating consequences.” He added that Trump has publicly said that if Israel needs to strike Iran, “America will be there,” arguing that this is not how someone who had abandoned Israel would speak.

Hikind also said he has never been a full Trump loyalist. “I am not a ‘Trumpist.’ I admit it. I supported him three times but not in 2016 when he ran in the primaries,” he wrote, saying he initially backed Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. He explained that he was uncomfortable with Trump’s tone, calling the former president’s speech “lighthearted” and saying, “Words matter.” He said that same carelessness now feels directed at “Bibi and Israel,” which he described as “like a knife stab.”

He then aimed harsher criticism at Vice President JD Vance, who had attacked Israel the day before. Hikind said, “JD is definitely a problem,” and linked Vance to Tucker Carlson and other critics of Trump. He argued that Vance is “just making fun of Israel nonstop,” despite Israel having fought alongside the United States and done much of the “heavy lifting” in air and intelligence control in Iran.

Even if the memorandum of understanding is beneficial, Hikind said, “it is terrible” to speak that way about a recent wartime partner unless one’s motives were “bad from the start.” He concluded that anyone acting in good faith can see what is happening, and dismissed those who blame Israel alone as “not healthy,” adding that he has no interest in talking to “hateful idiots.”