The US-Israel relationship is presented by it’s backers as a ‘strategic’ alliance built on shared values and common security interests. Yet the actual diplomatic history between the two nations reveals the opposite… it’s shaped by domestic political pressure, ideological movements, intelligence controversies and competing strategic priorities. Christian Zionism has helped create a powerful constituency for Israel within American politics, while pro Israel lobbying has worked to maintain bipartisan support for military assistance and diplomatic protection. Meanwhile, Israel’s pursuit of nuclear weapons exposed a striking double standard in American nonproliferation policy, and espionage cases involving Israeli intelligence operations on American soil raised questions about the limits of an alliance supposedly built on trust. The relationship extends well beyond military cooperation. Billions of dollars in American assistance and repeated diplomatic concessions have made support for Israel a deeply entrenched feature of Washington’s foreign policy. Under Donald Trump, this relationship took on a new dimension, with Benjamin Netanyahu and Jared Kushner playing prominent roles in shaping American policy across the Middle East.