John Deaton tells ‘Post’ Trump admin’s ‘trust me bro’ Iran approach harming perceptions of Israel

Congressional hopeful John Deaton told The Jerusalem Post that the Trump administration's approach to the Iran conflict has damaged Israel's popularity in the United States, particularly among younger Republicans. Deaton, a moderate Republican, argued that a failure to clearly communicate the objectives of the war with Iran has eroded public trust.

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I do blame a lot of this, the Iran war situation, on a failure of communication by the Trump administration.

Deaton emphasized the importance of communication in building trust, stating that he would refuse campaign contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He believes his support for Israel must stem from personal conviction, not financial influence. This stance comes as he faces questions about his Israel policy and campaign funding, questions he noted were absent in previous election cycles.

He specifically criticized the Trump administration's handling of the Iran situation, questioning the effectiveness of past military actions. "How did we obliterate them in June 2025 and set them back decades?" Deaton asked, suggesting either flawed intelligence or a lack of transparency. He pointed to mixed messages regarding Iran's nuclear progress, citing differing assessments from figures like former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Trump himself.

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The basis of trust is communication, and that personal conviction is likely where his criticism of Netanyahu and Trump’s handling of the Iran threat has stemmed.

Deaton also addressed criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of weaponizing antisemitism claims to deflect legitimate criticism. While acknowledging the reality of antisemitism in the U.S., Deaton called for greater scrutiny of U.S. aid to both Israel and Ukraine, advocating for a careful assessment of the scale and benefits of such assistance.

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But how did we obliterate them in June 2025 and set them back decades? Was it bad intelligence when you said that, President Trump? Was that just bad intelligence? And did you not decimate them? If that’s true, fine, because bad intelligence sometimes is faulty.