MAGA is turning on Israel over Gaza, but Trump is unmoved

President Donald Trump and Republicans on Capitol Hill are keeping their criticism of Israel for its conduct in the Gaza Strip measured — even as they faced loud pressure from the MAGA base to rethink their support for Israel amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The cautious approach from the White House and senior Republicans reflects the ascendance of a loud wing of the president’s base that has sharply criticized Israel. Those figures are clashing with more traditional Republicans, who view the bilateral relationship with Israel as sacrosanct and often refrain from criticizing the Middle East ally.

But the balancing act is occurring as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip reaches its nadir after two years of war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Sixty thousand people have died in Gaza since war broke out in October 2023, as aid groups have warned the territory is experiencing a famine and thousands of children may die of starvation in the coming weeks.

Aboard Air Force One today, Trump told reporters that he doesn’t yet want to pressure Israel to come up with a longer-term solution to the conflict because “you could make the case that you’re rewarding Hamas if you do that.”

“I don’t think they should be rewarded. I’m not in that camp,” the president said.

But the administration isn’t ignoring the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza either. Trump went on to reiterate that the U.S. will help provide food aid and set up food centers to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

On Capitol Hill, plenty of Republicans — even MAGA loyalists — are still backing Israel. Concern for the situation is being couched in caution, and a reiteration of Israel’s strategic prerogative to respond to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters today that “we should do everything we can to be a helping hand.” And he added that “unfortunately you’ve got a lot of bad actors … interfering” with food aid.

“October 7 was Hamas’ attack on Israel, and they have every right to defend themselves as long as it takes. And so I don’t think that changes at all,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.).

Yet the GOP’s right flank is growing increasingly frustrated with the war in Gaza, arguing the war is politically noxious for the president and a moral stain on the country’s reputation.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) became the first congressional Republican to call Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip a “genocide.” In a tweet Monday night slamming fellow House Republican Randy Fine of Florida, she said that the “genocide, humanitarian crisis and starvation” in Gaza is as horrific as the Oct. 7 attacks.

Outside of Congress, prominent MAGA influencers have also stepped up their criticism of Israel. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Steve Bannon are among those condemning Israel’s actions and warning that the issue is a political liability for the Trump administration with the president’s base.

The frustration among prominent conservatives mirrors the broader trend in Americans’ views on the war in Gaza. A Gallup poll released today — conducted before Trump called out starvation in Gaza on Monday during a meeting with British Prime Minister Kier Starmer — found that six in 10 Americans now disapprove of Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.

Still, 71 percent of Republicans in the same poll voiced support for Israel’s war effort. That number has changed minimally since Trump took office.

International pressure on Israel is also mounting. The United Kingdom today said it would join France in recognizing a Palestinian state if Israel doesn’t agree to a ceasefire by September and reverse course in the enclave. U.S. allies in Europe have threatened to punish Israel in other ways if it does not work to improve the situation in Gaza.

Israel, for its part, has continued to blame Hamas for issues with the distribution of aid in the war-torn territory and has sharply pushed back on any suggestions that its actions rise to the level of war crimes, crimes against humanity or acts of genocide against the Palestinian people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has argued that the volume of food aid Gaza is receiving is sufficient.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the administration’s strategy for responding to the worsening crisis.

An administration official, granted anonymity to speak freely about the strategic thinking around Gaza, said that the administration isn’t breaking with Netanyahu despite its harsher criticism of its closest Middle East ally.

“No one wants to see starving kids anywhere,” the official said. “And while he’s obviously in steadfast support of Bibi, the president’s ultimate mission is going to be, one, ending the war, two, ending the killings, and at a bare minimum, secure a ceasefire, get our hostages back and make the region more prosperous than it’s ever been before,” the official said.

The official added: “I don’t think the Lindsey Grahams of the world and the Tom Cottons of the world are going to be up in arms that the President doesn’t want to see kids starving in the Middle East.” Graham and Cotton have been some of Israel’s most stalwart supporters in the Senate.

Hawkish senators have a similar read on the president’s thinking. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a senior member of the Armed Services and Intelligence committees, said in a brief interview that the president’s actions are rooted in Trump’s desire not to see children killed in war.

Administration officials, however, aren’t accepting charges of “genocide” on Israel’s part. At a State Department briefing Tuesday, spokesperson Tammy Bruce called accusations that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians “outrageous.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee echoed those sentiments on Tuesday in a Fox News interview. “Is there suffering? Yes. Is it as bad as some of the Europeans say it is? No,” he said. “It could be a whole lot better, it could all be over quickly if Hamas would finally decide there is no future for them there, which is exactly what the president keeps saying.”

Jordain Carney contributed to this report.