December 07, 2017

On Jerusalem, Trump Delivers for Supporters at Home

Featuring Ilan Goldenberg

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's move to recognize the divided city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital may have triggered a worldwide chorus of critics but the president had his ears closely tuned to his supporters at home.

For Trump, the proclamation was an important way to make good on a pledge to his political base, which includes evangelical Christians and pro-Israel Republicans eager for such a move.

"While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver," the president declared Wednesday in announcing his decision. "Today, I am delivering."

Those were words to savor for a president who's been frustrated to see a number of key campaign pledges stalled or slowed — sometimes by a bitterly divided Congress, some by larger national or international concerns.

Read the full article here.

Authors

  • Ilan Goldenberg

    Senior Fellow and Director, Middle East Security Program

    Ilan Goldenberg is Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. He is a foreign policy and defense expert with ext...