President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort this week. Not only did their meeting focus heavily on plans for Iran, Gaza, and Somalia, but it also included embarrassing fawning praise of Netanyahu by Trump and a promise of a significant new US-Israel aid package that could reach $100 billion.
The most striking moment came when Trump, responding to a question from an Israeli reporter, unequivocally promised US military support for Israel against Iran under expanded conditions.
“If Iran continues with their ballistic missiles and also nuclear weapons, one will be yes, absolutely. The other was, we’ll do it immediately,” Trump said.
He later added, “I hear that Iran is trying to build up again. And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them.”
On The Young Turks, Ana Kasparian argued that this represents a dangerous escalation of prior US policy toward Iran, moving the goalposts for another potential attack. “Now we have President Donald Trump moving the goalpost and including Iran’s obtaining missiles as enough of a reason to strike their country,” Ana said.
“You couldn’t see Netanyahu’s left hand there because it was obviously up Trump’s ass and Trump was just saying whatever Netanyahu wanted,” said co-host Cenk Uygur. “He’s a dog for Israel. He doesn’t work for America.”
The meeting also featured effusive personal praise from Trump for Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges in Israel. Trump called on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon the prime minister.
“He’s a wartime prime minister. He’s done a phenomenal job,” Trump said. “Israel, with other people, might not exist right now if you want to know the truth. He’s a wartime prime minister who’s a hero. How do you not give a pardon?”
TYT juxtaposed this praise with footage of the widespread destruction in Gaza following more than seven months of Israeli genocide, which local health authorities say has killed at least 35,000 people, likely many more. Ana firmly rejected Trump’s characterization of Netanyahu.
“Our president declared that a genocidal, corrupt scumbag, Benjamin Netanyahu, is a wartime president. A hero,” Ana said. “As we all just saw imagery out of Gaza, you know, showing an entire enclave that no longer exists.”
Both Cenk and Ana noted that despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israeli military operations and casualties in Gaza have continued. They cited a report from the Palestinian Chronicle stating that Israeli forces have killed over 414 Palestinians in Gaza since a late-October pause in fighting.
“If the Palestinians had killed 414 Israelis since the ceasefire, of course, everybody would have said the ceasefire is over,” Cenk said. “Our press thinks, ‘Yeah, but those are just Palestinians. Their lives are irrelevant.’”
A fourth major topic of the meeting was a pending 20-year memorandum of understanding that would send between $80 billion and $100 billion in additional US military aid to Israel.
“Since Israel hasn’t stolen enough money from us,” Cenk said, arguing that the aid is ensured by the pro-Israel lobby’s influence over US politics and media. “They have given to 94% of Congress. Is there a single person in the mainstream press objecting to the hundred billion dollar robbery they’re planning right now?”
