CNN’s Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten dropped a political bombshell during Wednesday’s News Central broadcast, declaring that the Democratic Party is “no longer pro Israel” as sympathies toward Palestinians surge among its voters.
“In 2017, the Democratic Party was a pro Israeli party,” Enten explained. “But look at this sea change now. Democrats sympathize more with the Palestinians by 43 points. That’s a change in margin of 56 points. It’s just insane.”
The revelation is more than a datapoint. It comes at a moment when President Donald J. Trump is back in the White House, having returned to office after the 2024 election, and is leading a renewed and unapologetic pro Israel policy agenda. The result is a political clash of worldviews one that may define the 2026 midterms and the identity of both major parties for years to come.
A Party Reversed
According to Gallup polling cited by Enten, the Democratic base has undergone a seismic transformation on the Israel Palestine conflict:
- 2017: Democrats favored Israel over Palestine by plus 13 points
- 2025: Democrats now favor Palestine over Israel by plus 43 points
- Net shift: 56 points in just eight years
Among Democrats under 35, that shift is even more dramatic a 71 point swing, with a strong majority now siding with the Palestinians.
“This is no longer a subtle drift,” Enten said. “It’s a full blown realignment.”
Trump’s Contrast Couldn’t Be Clearer
President Trump, who returned to power on a platform of restoring American strength abroad, has reestablished the pro Israel hardline of his first term. His administration has:
- Reaffirmed full support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
- Cut U.S. funding to any U.N. entity seen as hostile to Israel
- Ended all aid to Gaza and the Palestinian Authority until “anti Israel incitement ends”
- Announced plans to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Jerusalem to the Western Wall, a symbolic escalation that has enraged progressives
Trump has positioned himself as Israel’s most reliable ally on the world stage and is daring Democrats to challenge him.
“Israel is our friend. We don’t abandon friends,” Trump said during a June 2025 press conference. “What the Democrats are doing turning on Israel to please the radical fringe is disgraceful and dangerous.”
Democrats Torn Internally
Enten’s data backs up what the White House already sees playing out in real time: Democratic leadership is losing control of the party’s foreign policy identity
While older Democratic figures such as President Biden (now out of office) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer historically defended Israel, they’re now out of step with the base
Progressives like Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Jamaal Bowman have pushed anti Israel talking points into the mainstream of Democratic politics including demands to cut military aid to Israel and accusations of “apartheid”
And the base is rewarding it. Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and outspoken anti Israel voice, won a major primary in New York by running directly against Biden era support for Israel.
“This wasn’t backlash. This was a referendum,” Enten observed. “He won because of his views, not in spite of them.”
A Wedge Issue for 2026
With Trump firmly reestablishing pro Israel credentials from the White House, and Democrats increasingly fractured over the issue, Republicans see a prime electoral wedge forming.
In swing districts especially among Jewish voters, moderates, and older Democrats GOP operatives plan to highlight the party’s drift.
“The Democrats have abandoned Israel. Trump hasn’t. That’s the difference,” said RNC Chairwoman Elise Stefanik in a statement Wednesday. “In 2026, voters will remember who stood with our allies and who stood with Hamas apologists.”
Even some centrist Democrats are sounding the alarm.
“This isn’t just bad optics. It’s a moral failure,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D NJ). “There’s no excuse for turning our backs on the only democracy in the Middle East.”
Final Thoughts: Foreign Policy or Party Crisis
What Harry Enten laid out on CNN wasn’t just a trend. It was a diagnosis of Democratic crisis. The party once united in support of Israel is now deeply split, with its loudest voices standing in direct opposition to long standing U.S. allies.
With Trump commanding the bully pulpit and delivering clarity in foreign policy, the contrast couldn’t be more stark. One party defends Israel. The other debates whether doing so is even acceptable.
And for a growing number of voters, that distinction may be all they need in 2026.
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