President Donald Trump has drawn a sharp red line for Israel, warning that any attempt to annex the West Bank would trigger a complete withdrawal of U.S. support.
In a no-holds-barred interview with Time Magazine released Thursday, Trump said Washington’s backing of Israel would end immediately if the Netanyahu-led government proceeds with annexation efforts.
“Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened,” Trump declared, signaling a major shift in tone as his administration struggles to maintain a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The warning follows a narrow vote by Israel’s Parliament favoring annexation of the occupied territory — a move Vice President JD Vance called a “personal insult” and “a very stupid political stunt.”
Although both Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu oppose the annexation bid, hardliners within Israel’s coalition are pushing to block any path toward Palestinian statehood, threatening to destabilize Trump’s delicate Middle East peace deal.
“It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries,” Trump told Time, underscoring his commitment to maintaining regional stability.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, also warned that the annexation talk could derail ongoing peace efforts.
“We are concerned about anything that could undermine what we are working on,” Rubio said before departing for Israel.
Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan — backed by Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan — envisions a phased ceasefire, hostage releases, and reconstruction of Gaza into a modern, tourism-friendly hub akin to Dubai or Monaco.
