Gaza starvation widens MAGA's rupture with Israel

Axios

21 hours ago

The reliably pro-Israel Republican Party is scrambling to contain a generational revolt over foreign aid, antisemitism and the true meaning of "America First."
Why it matters: Amid scenes of starvation in Gaza, the MAGA movement has become an unlikely epicenter of the national reckoning over America's relationship with Israel.
A GOP realignment — in tandem with Democrats' overwhelming disapproval of the war in Gaza — could threaten the foundation and future of America's decades-old alliance with Israel.
Driving the news: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a prominent voice for MAGA's grassroots base, became the first Republican member of Congress this week to call Israel's war in Gaza a "genocide."
President Trump broke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by acknowledging this week that there is "real starvation" in Gaza, even as he urged Israel to "finish the job" by eliminating Hamas.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a critic and target of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, tweeted Wednesday that "Israel's war in Gaza is so lopsided that there's no rational argument American taxpayers should be paying for it."
The big picture: A growing number of Gen Z conservatives — removed from the historical context that shaped older Republican views — see Israel as just another ally taking advantage of America's generosity.
"What we are seeing on Israel is a generational split around the age of 40," MAGA podcaster Jack Posobiec told Axios earlier this month. "Over 40 support, under 40 range from skeptical to wanting to cut all ties."
The harrowing images from Gaza — along with Israel's bombing of a Catholic church this month, and attacks by Israeli settlers on Christian communities in the West Bank — have only deepened MAGA resentment.
"Israel, whether it realizes it or not, has made itself the villain of the world in letting this thing go on so long. They have lost support among their dearest friends," conservative radio host Megyn Kelly warned this week.
The intrigue: Keenly aware of Israel's reputational crisis, Netanyahu sat for an interview last week with the Nelk Boys — a team of pro-Trump YouTubers popular with young men.
The backlash was swift and extraordinary: the Nelk Boys' own audience turned on them, accusing the hosts of platforming a war criminal and failing to ask meaningful questions.
The group apologized by hosting a parade of openly antisemitic influencers to present "the other side," including white nationalist Nick Fuentes and "red pill" podcaster Myron Gaines.
Gaines, who has millions of followers, drew public outrage days later when a guest on his show praised Adolf Hitler and argued that the Holocaust was justified.
Between the lines: MAGA's antisemitism problem is real. But many young Trump supporters are engaged in a genuine foreign policy debate over whether sending billions of dollars to Israel aligns with the principles of "America First."
At Turning Point USA's Student Action Summit this month, attendees described Israel in the same terms they might use for NATO or Ukraine: allies who drain U.S. resources that should be spent at home.
"I wasn't 'Free Palestine.' I wasn't 'Free Israel.' I was America First," said Faith Merrill, an 18-year-old student at Troy University, describing TikTok content she posted that drew backlash.
A recent focus group conducted by Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk showed that when Gen Z participants were asked to describe Israel, some responded with terms like "liability" and "tax dollars."
Reality check: A new Gallup poll found that 71% of Republicans approve of Israel's military action in Gaza — ticking up from last September, even as Americans' overall approval plunged to 32%.
Within MAGA media, even the skeptics aren't necessarily rooting against Israel: Some want the Jewish state to thrive on its own, while others continue to vocally support its war against Hamas.
Kirk dedicated part of his podcast Monday to the rising number of stories about starving children in Gaza, dubbing it "an all-out propaganda campaign."
The bottom line: Trump, who has described himself as the most pro-Israel president in U.S. history, is increasingly at odds with many of his youngest supporters.