For decades, American support for Israel was one of the few political issues that received wide bipartisan support. From billions in foreign aid to geopolitical support, Democrats and Republicans had long been united in their support for the small, Middle Eastern country.
However, that uniform support has begun to change.
In recent years, Democrats have seen their party’s support for Israel dip as more Muslim and pro-Palestinian members have joined their ranks. More recently, a fissure has emerged in the Republican Party over American support for Israel.
Generally, anti-Israel sentiments are concentrated in younger generations while older generations have more favorable attitudes toward Israel. Regardless, that growing divide is already impacting Democratic primaries around the country.
Just last week, a pro-Israel U.S. Senate candidate was booed at the Michigan Democratic Convention. In Minnesota, donations tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) could become a sticking point in the ongoing DFL primary for U.S. Senate.
As Democrats are facing scrutiny over Israel, one Minnesota DFLer has already begun to change her tune after years of supporting the country. That Democrat is U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is now running for governor of Minnesota.
‘One of America’s closest and most steadfast partners’
During her time as a U.S. senator, Klobuchar has been an ardent supporter of Israel and has repeatedly touted the U.S.-Israel alliance. On multiple occasions, she has spoken at events sponsored by AIPAC, a political group that supports the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Speaking to AIPAC in 2018, Klobuchar said Israel is a “beacon of democracy in what is a really tough, if not incomparably tough, neighborhood.” She also said Minnesota’s Jewish community brought her to visit Israel when she was a first-time U.S. Senate candidate.
During her remarks, Klobuchar said Israel was a “haven for refugees from the beginning,” told the audience that she believed Congress would “fully fund our commitment to [Israeli] aid” in that year’s budget, and urged AIPAC to “keep up the good work.”
In 2019, Klobuchar met with Minnesota AIPAC to “discuss policies that ensure a strong and secure Israel.” The following year, she addressed AIPAC as a presidential candidate.
During her 2020 address, Klobuchar said she “will never stop fighting for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship — period,” and said she supported a two-state solution that “allows Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side in peace and security.”
She also expressed a desire for “strong” U.S.-Israel economic relations, voiced opposition to the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, and said, “If I was given the honor to lead this nation, keeping [support for Israel] strong and bipartisan would be a major priority.”
Klobuchar, who has described Israel as “one of America’s closest and most steadfast partners,” was endorsed by AIPAC in 2024 during her most recent reelection bid.
Campaign cash and Senate votes
Track AIPAC, an organization that monitors campaign contributions from various pro-Israel groups and donors, says that Klobuchar has received $3 million from those entities during her career in federal politics.
An Alpha News analysis of campaign finance records found that Klobuchar’s U.S. Senate campaign received $310,000 of AIPAC-linked donations during the 2023-24 election cycle. A review of her gubernatorial campaign finances did not show any AIPAC-linked money.
During her nearly two-decade career in the U.S. Senate, Klobuchar has supported sending billions of American tax dollars to Israel. In 2018, Klobuchar voted for an appropriations bill that sent over $3 billion to Israel. She voted for similar legislation in 2019 and 2020.
After the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, Klobuchar reiterated her support for Israel and the U.S.-Israel alliance. In 2024, she voted for two appropriations that sent billions to Israel, including $5.2 billion for missile defense systems such as the Iron Dome.
According to a 2025 report from the Congressional Research Service, Israel is the “largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance” since the 1940s. As of May 2025, the U.S. had sent Israel $174 billion (not accounting for inflation) in “bilateral assistance and missile defense funding.”
An apparent change of tune
Despite her support for Israel, Klobuchar seems to be adjusting to the growing anti-Israel feeling in her party. Last year, she voted for resolutions to block arms sales to Israel.
Jewish Insider reported that Klobuchar said her vote was the first time she voted against arms for Israel. The longtime senator said she voted to block the arms sale because she was concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
However, Klobuchar noted that her vote “doesn’t mean I’m going to be hard-stop against aid for Israel in the future.” In January of this year, Klobuchar voted against legislation that appropriated $3.3 billion for Israel.
This month, Klobuchar was among 40 Democratic senators who voted for a bill that would block the sale of military bulldozers to Israel. Furthermore, she has repeatedly criticized the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
Klobuchar’s apparent adjustment to her party’s growing anti-Israel sentiment is not entirely unexpected. After all, the largest city in Minnesota has repeatedly elected Ilhan Omar, who is one of the fiercest Israel critics in Congress.
However, AIPAC, Israel, and the growing divide in the Democratic Party are unlikely to be major issues in the upcoming gubernatorial campaign because Klobuchar does not have a high-profile, anti-Israel DFL primary challenger.
Alpha News contacted Klobuchar’s campaign with questions for this story. The campaign did not respond prior to a publication deadline.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
