Republican support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dropped sharply over the past month as President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Israel’s recent military actions and sought to distance his administration from renewed regional conflict, according to a new poll.
A survey by J.L. Partners found that 47% of Republicans now hold a favorable view of Netanyahu, down from 66% in May.
The poll of 1,059 registered voters also showed the Israeli leader’s net favorability among Republicans was cut in half during the same period.
This decline comes after weeks of public disagreements between Trump and Netanyahu over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon and the collapse of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework with Iran.
Trump privately rebuked Netanyahu over Israeli strikes in Lebanon while his administration pursued diplomacy with Tehran, according to reports.
Vice President JD Vance warned Israel against alienating its most important ally.
The poll suggests many Republican voters are following Trump’s lead as he adopts a tougher tone toward the longtime Israeli leader.
At the same time, prominent figures in the MAGA movement, including former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and commentator Tucker Carlson, have argued that the United States should avoid being drawn into another Middle East conflict.
Despite polling and reports of friction, Netanyahu has insisted his relationship with Trump remains strong.
Netanyahu dismissed reports of a rift during an interview, stating: “He said it couldn’t be better.” Friends can have agreements and disagreements,” he added.
The Israeli prime minister acknowledged differences on issues such as potential U.S. sales of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey but said those disagreements are handled privately.
“We agree on just about everything, but there are areas of disagreement,” Netanyahu said. “I feel confident enough in our friendship, in our alliance, that I can tell him what I think is important for the interests of protecting Israel.”
Netanyahu also praised the United States as “the guardian of freedom” and called Trump “the greatest friend we’ve ever had in the White House.”
Still, the poll suggests Netanyahu’s standing with Republicans has weakened considerably amid Trump’s increasingly public frustration with Israel’s military decisions.
The survey found that Netanyahu’s broader image remains under pressure, with his unfavorable rating rising among all registered voters. This underscores the political challenges facing the Israeli leader as he prepares for elections later this year while working to preserve bipartisan support in Washington.
