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Trump’s ambassador to Israel David Friedman endorses old boss in 2024 election
Ex-envoy says ‘no president has more strongly supported Israel’ than current GOP frontrunner; Friedman has stuck with Trump amid scandals
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
David Friedman, who served as former US president Donald Trump’s ambassador to Israel, announced Tuesday his decision to endorse Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
“I was privileged to have worked with President Trump and his team in setting and implementing his Middle East policies and I am very proud of our historic achievements,” Friedman tweeted.
I believe that it is in America’s best interests to strongly support Israel. No president has more strongly supported Israel than President Donald J. Trump and I endorse him for President of the United States.”
The endorsement is not particularly surprising, given that Friedman has largely stuck with Trump since they left office.
Friedman did criticize his old boss over the latter’s conduct surrounding the January 6 Capitol insurrection, as well as the former president’s decision to dine last year with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes, who both have faced widespread allegations of antisemitism.
“To my friend Donald Trump, you are better than this,” Friedman tweeted at the time. “Even a social visit from an antisemite like Kanye West and human scum like Nick Fuentes is unacceptable.”
“I urge you to throw those bums out, disavow them and relegate them to the dustbin of history where they belong,” he added. Trump has yet to disavow the pair.
Friedman’s Tuesday announcement came days after Trump was federally indicted over his handling of classified documents — the second time he has been charged this year.
Friedman was highly influential as ambassador during Trump’s first term, playing a key role in the president’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as well as in a myriad of other pro-Israel moves.
He would likely be offered a spot in the administration if Trump returns to the White House, and has been rumored as a potential candidate for the position of national security adviser. He could also be tapped to once again serve as ambassador to Israel.
