In a dramatic shift emblematic of broader currents within the Democratic Party, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has reversed his position on Israel, now supporting both a halt to U.S. arms sales to the country and the recognition of a Palestinian state. This about-face comes amid mounting pressure from party activists, a rapidly changing public opinion landscape, and a political environment where the Gaza conflict has become an unavoidable litmus test for Democratic leaders and presidential hopefuls.
Buttigieg, long considered a rising star and potential 2028 presidential contender, made headlines after a recent interview on the popular liberal podcast “Pod Save America.” There, he echoed his previous stance from his 2019 presidential campaign, describing Israel as a “friend” deserving of American support during trying times. “I think that we, as Israel’s strongest ally and friend, you put your arm around your friend when there’s something like this going on, and talk about what we’re prepared to do together,” Buttigieg told host Jon Favreau, as reported by JTA.
Yet the reaction was swift and fierce. Top Democrats, including California Representative Ro Khanna, took to social media to express disappointment and confusion. “We need moral clarity, not status quo,” Khanna posted on X. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor in the Obama administration, added, “Pete is a smart guy and I admire a lot of what he’s done, but I have absolutely no idea what he thinks based on these answers. Just tell us what you believe.” The backlash reflected a party increasingly unwilling to accept ambiguity or perceived equivocation on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Within days, Buttigieg recalibrated his message. In a follow-up interview with Politico, he acknowledged the criticism and clarified his position. “I get it,” Buttigieg said, reflecting on the negative reactions. “It’s important to be clear about something this enormous and this painful. It’s just that it’s so enormous and it’s so painful that sometimes words can fail.”
He then went further, telling Politico he would support Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ proposed arms embargo against Israel, a measure that has recently garnered record support among Democratic senators. Buttigieg also said he would recognize a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution and questioned whether the United States should renew its ten-year memorandum of understanding on weapons sales to Israel. “Democrats — like all Americans, but certainly Democrats — are sickened by what’s happening and trying to hold several things in mind at the same time, all of which can be true: that what has to happen next is the killing has to end,” he told Playbook. “The hostages have to come home. And the people of Gaza need aid unimpeded, and all of that should be happening immediately.”
This reversal is not occurring in a vacuum. According to Jewish Insider, Buttigieg’s shift is part of a broader trend among nationally ambitious Democrats who, under pressure from the activist left, are moving away from the party’s historically measured support for Israel. The situation echoes the 2020 presidential primaries, when candidates’ rush to embrace progressive positions was widely seen as a factor in their general election struggles.
Public opinion has shifted dramatically. A March 2025 Brookings poll found that just 12% of Americans described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide,” while 32% considered them “war crimes resembling genocide.” By August, an Economist/YouGov survey showed that 43% of Americans now label the situation in Gaza as genocide, with only 28% disagreeing and 29% undecided. Meanwhile, a July 2025 Gallup poll revealed that only 32% of Americans approve of Israel’s military actions—a sharp decline from previous years.
Among Democrats, the numbers are even starker. Only 12% support Israel, while 60% now express sympathy for Palestinians, according to recent polling cited by The Guardian. Progressive leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders have gone so far as to accuse Israel of “deliberate starvation”—a hallmark of genocide. Representative John Garamendi has warned that blocking humanitarian aid exposes Israel’s intent, while pro-Israel lobbying groups like AIPAC have responded by aggressively targeting critics within the party.
This internal debate is playing out against the backdrop of ongoing violence and tragedy. On August 16, a man was wounded by an explosive device in Tel Aviv, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued their operations on the outskirts of Gaza City, preparing for further occupation plans. The Israeli Air Force has been striking military targets in coordination with ground troops, while the IDF recently struck a Hezbollah outpost and underground infrastructure in southern Lebanon’s Beaufort Ridge, according to The Jerusalem Post. The humanitarian toll remains staggering: since Hamas’s massive attack on October 7, 2024—which saw thousands of militants infiltrate from Gaza, killing over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and taking some 240 hostages—Israel’s military response has left Gaza reeling. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, and 49 have been killed in captivity.
Internationally, the U.S. faces mounting scrutiny. The Center for Constitutional Rights, a legal advocacy organization, has asserted that by providing concrete backing for Israel’s Gaza policies, the U.S. is not merely “failing to prevent genocide” but is actively complicit in it. Commentators like Mehdi Hasan have argued that U.S. policy has made Washington an “accomplice” to Israel’s alleged crimes. Outlets such as Vox and The Guardian have openly criticized what they describe as American complicity in Gaza’s human-made famine. Even a controversial comment by AI chatbot Grok, which labeled the U.S. and Israel as “genocidal,” has sparked renewed debate over censorship and free speech.
Despite a tidal wave of public dissent—especially among young voters—most U.S. politicians still back Israel. However, as Politico notes, the Gaza conflict is rapidly becoming a defining issue for future Democratic leadership. Potential candidates now face pressure to back arms embargoes or impose conditions on aid to Israel, positions that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Some Republicans, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have even joined the chorus labeling Gaza a genocide, though former President Trump’s camp remains firmly pro-Israel.
For Democrats, the stakes are high. Racing to follow the ideological herd rather than focusing on the broader political picture is, as Jewish Insider cautions, the very mindset that led to electoral setbacks in 2020. Yet with the Gaza conflict fast becoming both a moral and electoral crisis, the party’s leadership faces a choice: adapt to the new reality or risk alienating a base that is increasingly demanding clarity, action, and, above all, change.
As the U.S. approaches another pivotal election cycle, the debate over Israel and Gaza is no longer a distant foreign policy dispute—it’s a defining test of conscience, strategy, and leadership for America’s political future.
