House Speaker Mike Johnson has defended the U.S.-Israel alliance as a strategic necessity amid growing internal GOP divisions over U.S. support for Israel. During an interview on ‘The Katie Miller Podcast,’ Johnson acknowledged the ‘schism’ within the party regarding Israel policy but urged unity by emphasizing that the alliance is essential for both diplomatic and economic reasons. He stated that America should ‘acknowledge the importance of that relationship,’ citing Israel’s role as the only stable democracy in the Middle East.
Johnson’s remarks come as the GOP faces an increasing number of Republicans questioning the party’s traditional pro-Israel stance. Notably, figures like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., have vocalized their divergent views. Greene, who announced her resignation from Congress in January 2026, has criticized U.S. military aid to Israel and called for cuts to Jerusalem funding. Massie, on the other hand, has long been a critic of U.S. military aid to Israel and questioned the influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups, particularly AIPAC, on American foreign policy.
In response to rising antisemitism, Johnson stressed that antisemitism should be ‘universally rejected’ and called out as a grave issue. He reaffirmed the importance of protecting Jewish communities both in the United States and globally, stating, ‘We got to love everybody and certainly the Jewish people.’ However, a growing faction within the party is challenging these views, testing the party’s ability to maintain consensus on foreign policy. This tension highlights the broader struggle within the GOP over how to balance support for Israel with the need to address the rising threat of antisemitism.