March 16, 2026
Many Democrats have raised legitimate questions about the Trump Administration’s strategy and endgame for the war against Iran. The conflict has also renewed debate about the role of the U.S.-Israel alliance in advancing American security interests in the region. However, demanding accountability for the conduct of the war while continuing to support the U.S.-Israel partnership are not competing positions — both reflect a core principle of Democratic foreign policy: the U.S. is stronger when it stands with capable allies.
Key Points
- Democrats have long recognized that strong alliances advance American security. From building the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, Democrats have consistently recognized that working with allies strengthens U.S. power, protects shared values, and deters common threats.
- Democratic voters support maintaining the U.S.-Israel alliance. Polling commissioned by our separate sister organization, DMFI PAC, late last year shows that a majority of Democrats favor maintaining a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.
- Criticism of the Trump Administration’s handling of the war with Iran is legitimate. Democrats are right to demand clear strategic objectives, limits on escalation, and congressional oversight to ensure American forces and resources are used responsibly.
- The U.S.-Israel alliance is independent of any single administration or conflict. Israel maintains the ability to defend itself by itself and strengthens regional deterrence without requiring permanent U.S. troop deployments.
- U.S. security assistance to Israel is worth the investment, comparable to what the U.S. invests in other critical partners such as South Korea, Japan, and Ukraine. Unlike those allies, however, Israel does not require a permanent U.S. troop presence.
- Preserving the alliance advances long-term U.S. interests. Israel provides unique capabilities, including missile defense systems, cyber expertise, regional intelligence, and operational experience, that strengthen American security and reduce the likelihood that the U.S. would face future crises without capable partners.
Democrats can demand accountability for the Trump Administration’s handling of the war with Iran while remaining clear about a core principle of Democratic foreign policy: America is stronger when it stands with its allies. Preserving our partnership with Israel advances American interests and leadership and ensures that the U.S. will continue to confront global challenges alongside allies rather than alone.
Why This Matters Now
Democrats have legitimate concerns about the ongoing war against Iran, and many Members have repeatedly urged the Trump Administration to clarify its strategy, objectives, and endgame. At the same time, broader frustration with Israeli policy, particularly regarding the conflict in Gaza, is bleeding into Democratic debates about the U.S.-Israel alliance itself. At the same time, polling commissioned by our separate sister organization, DMFI PAC, late last year shows that a majority of Democratic voters continue to support the U.S.-Israel alliance even as many express concerns about certain Israeli policies.
Democrats can demand accountability for the conduct of the war, insist on congressional oversight, and push for a strategy that avoids unnecessary escalation while continuing to support the U.S.-Israel alliance as a core element of American foreign policy. Maintaining that distinction is critical, both for protecting U.S. national security interests and for ensuring that short-term political disagreements do not undermine a long-standing strategic alliance.
Democrats Believe in Alliances
For decades, Democrats have argued that alliances enhance American power and protect democratic values. Democrats helped build and expand NATO and have supported sustained security assistance to Ukraine because we recognize that abandoning partners in moments of crisis empowers our adversaries and undermines global stability and American credibility.
The U.S.-Israel partnership fits squarely within this tradition. The relationship includes deep intelligence cooperation, joint military training and operational coordination, co-development of advanced defense technologies, and decades of trust built during regional crises.
Democrats have often been the strongest defenders of American alliances against isolationist pressures, including during both Trump Administrations. Treating Israel differently from other close partners would contradict that tradition. Walking away from the alliance or conditioning it into irrelevance would tell all our allies that U.S. commitments are contingent and revocable.
Further, in every administration, American leverage over Israel has been greatest when the relationship is strong. Distancing the U.S. from Israel does not produce policy changes; it reduces American influence over Israeli decision-making.
U.S. Security Assistance in Context
U.S. security assistance to Israel is strategically valuable. At $3.8 billion per year under the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding, it is comparable to U.S. investments in other critical partners such as South Korea, Japan, and Ukraine.
Unlike those allies, however, Israel does not require permanent U.S. combat forces on its territory. U.S. security assistance helps ensure that Israel maintains capabilities that directly benefit U.S. national security, especially missile defense systems. Israel’s ability to deter and confront regional threats can also help prevent crises that might otherwise require direct U.S. military intervention. (See our previous op-ed here on the strategic value of U.S. security assistance to Israel.)
Democratic Values and the Future of the Region
Support for the U.S.-Israel alliance should also reflect the values that have long guided Democratic foreign policy, including support for democracy, the rule of law, and the pursuit of diplomatic solutions to long-standing conflicts. To that end, preserving Israel as a secure, Jewish, and democratic state ultimately requires progress toward a political two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Maintaining a strong U.S.-Israel relationship gives the U.S. credibility and influence necessary to support diplomacy, encourage responsible decision-making by all parties, and work toward a future in which Israelis and Palestinians can both live in security, dignity, and peace.
Conclusion
Democrats can demand accountability for the Administration’s handling of the war with Iran while remaining clear about a core principle of Democratic foreign policy: America is stronger when it stands by its allies.
The U.S.-Israel alliance advances American national security through intelligence cooperation, defense technology development, and regional deterrence. Preserving that partnership strengthens U.S. leadership, reinforces democratic alliances, and helps ensure that the U.S. continues to confront global challenges alongside partners rather than alone.