How Trump’s Second Term Differs

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, catch diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

This week, we’re joined by Danielle Pletka, distinguished senior fellow in Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she focuses on US foreign policy, the Middle East, and terrorism.

Pletka, speaking to Beman from her native Australia, blasts the Albanese government for its failure to confront antisemitism and for its entirely insufficient response to the deadly shooting at a Hanukkah party in Sydney on Sunday.

Turning to US policy around the Gaza war, Pletka argues that then-US president Joe Biden was indeed a friend of Israel, but was already losing control over the White House to figures such as former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan when Hamas invaded southern Israel, killing some 1,200 and taking 251 hostage to Gaza, on October 7, 2023.

She critiques elements of US President Donald Trump's foreign policy, including the lack of Middle East experts and the influence of countries such as Qatar over decision-making. Still, Pletka gives high marks to the Abraham Accords and Trump's aggressive policy against Iran. 

Pletka predicts, however, that the nascent International Security Force for Gaza will collapse on its own, allowing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say that he was willing to go along with Trump's plan before resuming his own tactics.

In the wake of a social media bust-up this week, Pletka says that US Vice President JD Vance is not anti-Israel, but is instead willing to take whatever positions will help him advance politically -- even if it means befriending Tucker Carlson, who had a softball interview with Nick Fuentes after the antisemitic media personality used racist slurs against Vance's wife.

Despite some warning signs, Pletka says that the evidence indicates that most Republicans -- and the "soul of the party" -- still support Israel and the continued alliance between Washington and Jerusalem.

Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Danielle Pletka (courtesy) / President Donald Trump and Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hold signed documents during a summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal, October 13, 2025, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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