Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s third visit to Washington, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Dr. Yehiel Leiter, offered a rare look into the dramatic diplomatic developments of the past six months.
In a revealing conversation, Leiter detailed the behind-the-scenes discussions between Netanyahu and former President Donald Trump. He described how Netanyahu and former ambassador Ron Dermer orchestrated a major shift in U.S. policy—one that included a serious consideration of military action against Iranian nuclear sites.
Leiter emphasized the transformation in Trump’s strategic thinking during his presidency. “Since then, the world has been searching for a new paradigm—and in his second term, Trump declared what it should be,” he said. “He wants America to lead again, but to do so, he realized the U.S. must retreat from failed wars like those in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He abandoned the ideology of ‘from Washington shall go forth democracy,’ championed by George Bush. Trump’s goal is to make America great again—and to achieve that, he believes in projecting power. While he doesn’t want to act as the world’s policeman or be dragged into wars, he fully understands the need to use force and maintain the strongest military on Earth.”