Claims that Israel secretly controls the United States government have circulated for decades on the political fringes. In recent months, those claims have been revived and amplified by high-profile media figures, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The factual record shows that Israel does not control Congress, the White House, or American foreign policy.
How the Claim Entered the Mainstream
On November 19, 2025, Tucker Carlson publicly said he agreed with neo-Nazi influencer Nick Fuentes that the U.S. Congress is “unduly influenced by a foreign country called Israel.” Similar accusations have been echoed by anti-Israel commentators such as Dave Smith, who claim that President Donald Trump and Congress are controlled by Israel or fight wars on Israel’s behalf.
These allegations are framed as critiques of foreign influence but closely track long-standing conspiracy theories about Jewish power that have been rejected by policymakers, historians, and national security experts.
U.S. Politics Do Not Reflect Israeli “Control”
American political behavior directly contradicts the idea that Israel dictates U.S. decision-making. Members of Congress regularly criticize Israeli policies, vote against Israeli positions, and publicly oppose actions supported by Jerusalem. U.S. administrations of both parties have pressured Israel diplomatically, economically, and militarily when American interests diverged from Israeli preferences.
If Israel exercised control over Washington, these public disagreements and policy clashes would not exist.
Trump Administration Officials Flatly Rejected the Claim
Senior U.S. officials have explicitly dismissed the notion that Israel controls American leadership. On October 30, 2025, Vice President JD Vance stated that Israel is “not controlling this president.” He explained that the Trump–Vance administration’s “America First” approach allowed Washington to apply leverage to Israel when necessary, underscoring that decision-making authority runs from the United States to Israel, not the reverse.
Trump Overruled Israel on Major Policy Decisions
President Donald Trump repeatedly acted against Israel’s stated preferences during his presidency. In September 2025, he publicly declared that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. In June 2025, he ordered the Israel Defense Forces to abort a planned strike on Iran, an extraordinary move that demonstrated direct U.S. command authority over the situation. These actions are incompatible with the claim that Israel controls American policy or military decisions.
Israel’s Lobbying Footprint Is Relatively Small
Lobbying data further undermines the conspiracy theory. In 2023, Israel spent roughly $14 million on lobbying in the United States. That figure is far lower than the amounts spent by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, and even Liberia, according to OpenSecrets. If lobbying expenditures translated into control, Israel would rank near the bottom of the list.
What AIPAC Is—and What It Is Not
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, commonly known as AIPAC, is frequently cited as proof of Israeli dominance. In reality, AIPAC is an American organization funded and run by U.S. citizens. It does not represent the Israeli government and does not speak on its behalf. Many members of Congress openly reject AIPAC’s positions, and some refuse to engage with the group entirely.
Lobbying Does Not Equal Control
Even industries with vastly larger lobbying budgets do not “control” the U.S. government. Pharmaceuticals, technology companies, defense contractors, and labor unions collectively spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually on lobbying, yet they routinely lose policy battles. The Trump administration’s public confrontations with Big Pharma illustrate that large lobbying expenditures do not translate into obedience from the White House or Congress.
The Bottom Line
Israel does not control the United States government. American leaders regularly challenge, pressure, and overrule Israel based on U.S. interests. Israel’s lobbying footprint is modest compared to many other countries, and pro-Israel advocacy groups are American organizations, not arms of a foreign government. Claims that Israel “runs” America are conspiracy theories rooted in ideology, not facts.
