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By Alia Shoaib
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A newspaper owned by a billionaire Republican megadonor has published a blistering opinion piece accusing President Donald Trump of betraying Israel over his deal with Iran to end the war.
The critical op-ed was published by Israel Hayom, the Israeli newspaper owned by Miriam Adelson, one of Trump’s biggest financial backers and one of the most influential pro-Israel donors in Republican politics.
Adelson, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen with an estimated fortune of tens of billions of dollars, has been a major force in shaping conservative support for Israel and has had close ties to Trump for years.
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In the column, Israel Hayom journalist Danny Zaken praised Trump's past support for Israel but said the president had made a "colossal mistake" by signing what he called a "surrender agreement" with Tehran.
In a piece headlined “You could have been the greatest president of all, but you failed,” Zaken wrote that Trump had missed an opportunity to be remembered among America's greatest presidents and warned the deal could damage U.S. interests and Israel's security.
The criticism from a pro-Israel outlet closely aligned with Trump’s political base comes at a tense moment for U.S.-Israel relations, and suggests Trump’s push to end the Iran war tests not only that relationship but his own political coalition.
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What To Know
In the op-ed, Zaken accused Trump of reversing course after initially joining Israel in military action against Tehran, a conflict Zaken described as “one of the most just wars in human history.”
The U.S.-Iran agreement, signed this week by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, extends the ceasefire between the two sides, commits Tehran to not developing a nuclear weapon and sets out a framework for further negotiations, though key details remain unresolved.
Zaken wrote about the deal: “Mr. President, you have gravely harmed the human interests of the enlightened world, and you may be remembered forever as the president who brought about America's humiliation. You betrayed us, the Israelis.”
He also criticized Trump for pressing Israel to halt further strikes against Iran and accused someone in the president’s “circle” of leaking details of a tense conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He hit back at Trump’s recent claim that "there would be no Israel" without him, describing it as a “megalomaniacal statement,” and contended that “Israel existed before you and will exist long after you.”
“You lost your patience and your moral and leadership compass. Only if you walk this back and avoid reaching a final agreement with Iran might there be a correction,” Zaken wrote.
Amid recent criticism from Israeli officials, Vice President JD Vance defended the deal and warned Israeli officials against attacking Trump’s approach on Thursday.
“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance said.
Who Is Miriam Adelson?
Adelson is the widow of Las Vegas Sands’ founder Sheldon Adelson, with an estimated net worth of about $41.6 billion, making her the 42nd-richest person in the world. Forbes named her the eighth-wealthiest woman in the world last year.
Her political influence has been closely linked to her support for Israel, which has been a central issue throughout her public life. She and her late husband were among the most prominent backers of a more hardline pro-Israel approach in U.S. politics, and their donations helped make them key figures within Republican foreign policy circles.
Adelson has been one of Trump's biggest financial backers, donating about $100 million to support his 2024 campaign. She and her late husband were also among his largest donors in 2020, spending roughly $90 million to back his reelection bid.
She previously joked that she would back Trump running for a third term, which would violate the 22nd Amendment, and would donate $250 million to the cause.
Sheldon Adelson was also Trump’s largest individual donor in 2016, contributing $25 million to support his presidential bid.
Trump has previously referenced the Adelsons’ influence on his presidency, saying in 2025 that they had “more trips to the White House than anyone else” he could think of and crediting them with influencing some of his decisions on Israel-related issues.
Trump has also joked about Adelson’s strong support for Israel, saying he once asked her whether she loved the United States or Israel more and that her refusal to answer “might mean Israel.”
In his first term, Trump awarded Adelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, which is a prestigious but largely ceremonial award.
Tucker Carlson, the right-wing commentator who was once a staunch Trump ally before recently breaking with him on issues including Iran, told The New York Times in May that he believed Adelson was among the influential figures who applied “pressure” on the Trump administration to take action against Iran.
In February, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized Israel Hayom's coverage of Iran, calling it "Miriam Adelson's mouthpiece."
What Happens Next
The U.S. and Iran agreed on a period of 60 days to negotiate a final agreement, but major questions remain over enforcement, monitoring and the scope of the deal.
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