Trump Adviser Calls Out Ted Cruz for Putting Israel Before America First

Alex Bruesewitz isn’t pulling punches anymore, and frankly, it’s about time someone said it. The Trump adviser just delivered a masterclass in truth-telling at the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference, and his target was none other than Senator Ted Cruz. You know, the same Ted Cruz who can’t seem to go five minutes without accusing Trump of betraying Israel, even when he doesn’t have the facts straight.

Here’s what Bruesewitz actually said, and it matters. While acknowledging that Israel remains one of America’s closest and most capable allies, he pointed out something that should make everyone uncomfortable. Israel’s favorability among Americans, particularly younger Republicans, has been sliding. That’s not antisemitism talking. That’s reality knocking on the door, asking why we’re not allowed to have an honest conversation about foreign policy without getting called names.

The strongest partnerships, Bruesewitz explained, are built on aligned national interests. Not unconditional deference. Not blind loyalty that prevents friends from speaking candidly when needed. We criticize the United Kingdom when necessary. Trump even joked about making Canada the 51st state without destroying our relationship with Ottawa. True friendship means treating each other as sovereign equals, not as a vassal state that must rubber-stamp every decision without question.

But some of Israel’s loudest American cheerleaders don’t seem to grasp this concept. Cruz jumped the gun when reports surfaced about a potential U.S.-Iran deal, immediately accusing Trump of appeasing Tehran before anyone knew the actual details. That’s not principled leadership. That’s knee-jerk reactionism designed to score political points with a specific donor base while undermining the president’s negotiating position.

And it gets worse. Cruz went on CBN News and suggested that the phrase “Christ is King” has become antisemitic code. Let that sink in for a moment. A sitting U.S. senator is now policing Christian expressions of faith because they might offend someone. He called out Vice President JD Vance for not condemning Tucker Carlson loudly enough, suggesting that silence equals complicity in what Cruz labeled a “venomous ideology” infiltrating the Republican Party.

This is where the conservative movement finds itself at a crossroads. Do we serve American interests first, or do we subordinate our national sovereignty to the preferences of foreign governments? Reagan understood that America leads best when it leads from strength, not when it genuflects before allies who should respect our decision-making process.

Bruesewitz nailed it when he said Israel would be better served by American advocates who practice greater restraint and focus on what’s actually good for the United States. That’s not controversial. That’s common sense wrapped in diplomatic language. Our special relationship with Israel should mirror our partnership with Britain, where friends can disagree without questioning each other’s fundamental loyalty.

The decline in Israel’s favorability among younger Republicans isn’t happening in a vacuum. When senators like Cruz attack their own president for even exploring diplomatic options, when they suggest that Christian proclamations are secretly hateful, when they demand absolute loyalty to a foreign nation’s preferences, they’re creating the very problem they claim to oppose. People notice when American politicians seem more concerned about Jerusalem than Jacksonville.

Nobody’s suggesting we abandon Israel or stop recognizing the genuine threats it faces in a hostile region. But healthy alliances require honest dialogue, not performative outrage every time someone suggests that maybe, just maybe, American foreign policy should prioritize American interests. Cruz calling Trump “Lyin’ Ted” back in 2016 was ironic then. Cruz earning that nickname through his own premature accusations today? That’s just sad.

The Republican Party needs to decide whether it’s the America First party or the Israel First party. You can support strong alliances while still demanding that those alliances serve mutual interests rather than one-sided obligations. Bruesewitz understands this. Trump understands this. Apparently, Ted Cruz still needs a refresher course in putting his own country’s needs at the top of the priority list.

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