Trump Stays Quiet as UK, Allies Sanction Israeli Settlements — SkimNews
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Trump administration officials say the strategy toward allied sanctions on Israeli settlements is to "say as little as possible and let it happen," with an unnamed official telling Politico: "Israel can defend itself and they will."
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday the US wouldn't impose its own sanctions and declined to condemn the UK or other allies, stating the US shares their goal of "stability" in the West Bank — a move described as a "striking" departure from his usual posture toward Israel.
- President Trump addressed the issue only when pressed by reporters Wednesday, saying he'd "just seen" the UK decision and wanted to find out "their thinking," despite his reputation for voluble social media commentary.
- UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain "agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank" and will sanction companies and individuals supporting settlement expansion, with implementation expected to take six to nine months; UK officials said they informed the US in advance without significant pushback.
- Ambassador Mike Huckabee is "totally out on his own" with threats against the UK, according to an administration official and prior Axios reporting — he "freelances and doesn't check with anyone" and his statements don't reflect US policy.
- Israel retaliated by closing the British consulate in Jerusalem, a move that comes as Netanyahu's government fights uphill October elections and faces Trump's push to align with his regional peace efforts.
- The administration's restraint coincides with high-stakes moments including the November midterms, the upcoming Trump-Xi summit, and global oil prices climbing over $100 per barrel for the first time in six weeks amid a widening Middle East conflict.
Why it matters: The administration's calculated silence lets it avoid a three-front headache: angering Britain and other allies, alienating Israel's Republican base, and distracting from midterm messaging on affordability — all while oil above $100 per barrel squeezes GOP candidates. Huckabee's freelancing, which the White House won't formally correct, signals to Israel and allies that the administration's restraint is a choice, not a policy vacuum, potentially emboldening settler expansion in the E1 area that would effectively kill the two-state solution.
Ask SkimNews
