'Arab Americans for Trump' founder says former president supports two-state solution

Trump recently expressed skepticism regarding two-state solution over level of hatred for Jews

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With the U.S. presidential election campaign already in full gear, and both candidates claiming to support Israel, the differences in what support for Israel and Palestinians looks like for each candidate could be a determining factor for some voters.

While former U.S. President Donald Trump has a reputation for supporting Israel, especially following his formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017, his decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, and his recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019, the issue of his support for the two-state solution has not been as clear in recent months.

In an interview with TIME magazine in April 2024 [published in May], Trump appeared to walk back his previous support for a two-state solution.

When asked, “Do you think an outcome of the war between Israel and Hamas should be a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians?” Trump responded that he isn't sure a two-state solution will work

“Most people thought it was going to be a two-state solution. I'm not sure a two-state solution anymore is gonna work. Everybody was talking about two states, even when I was there,” Trump said.

He seemed to acknowledge that part of the problem lies in Israeli society's shifting position as the nation faces the ongoing conflict with Palestinian terror groups.

“Every day it changes now. If Israel’s making progress, they don't want two states. They want everything,” Trump said, apparently referring to Israelis. “And if Israel's not making progress, sometimes they talk about two-state solution.”

“Two-state solution seemed to be the idea that people liked most, the policy or the idea that people liked above,” he continued.

When asked if he likes the two-state solution, Trump didn’t give a straight answer.

“It depends when,” the former president replied. “There was a time when I thought two states could work. Now I think two states is going to be very, very tough. I think it's going to be much tougher to get. I also think you have fewer people that liked the idea. You had a lot of people that liked the idea four years ago. Today, you have far fewer people that like that idea.”

Trump then cited Jewish philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, who said he “felt that it was impossible to make a deal because the level of hatred was so great.”

“I disagreed with it. But so far, he hasn’t been wrong,” Trump noted.

During a speech in June, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised Trump for his assessment that a two-state solution may not be feasible. In his speech, Smotrich said a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria would be an “immediate and existential danger” to Israel.

During his previous term, Trump supported a two-state solution as part of his "Deal of the Century."

This is what a future State of Palestine can look like, with a capital in parts of East Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/39vw3pPrAL
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2020

In an interview with Bishara Bahbah, the creator of the "Arab Americans for Trump" group, published in the Sunday issue of The New Yorker, Bahbah asserted that Trump still supports a two-state solution.

Bahbah has been campaigning in Michigan with former Trump cabinet member Richard Grenell and Lebanese-born businessman Massad Boulos, whose son is married to Trump's daughter Tiffany.

Bahbah stated that during a meeting with Trump in July, he informed the presidential candidate: “Mr. President, I am doing this for one main reason. I want you elected for one main reason, and that is because I want to see peace in the Middle East, particularly based on the two-state solution.”

According to Bahbah, Trump indicated his support for that by responding, “A hundred percent.”

So far, Trump has refused to speak publicly about the matter. In June, during the presidential debate on CNN, when asked whether he supported a two-state solution, Trump dodged the question.

“I’d have to see, but before we do that,” Trump said, and then returned to the topic of funding for NATO.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has upheld the necessity of a two-state solution as the foundation for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.