Trump Warns Israel: West Bank Annexation Would Result in Complete Loss of US Support

President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Israel, stating that the nation would forfeit United States support if it proceeds with annexation of the occupied West Bank.

In a telephone interview with Time magazine conducted on October 15, Trump emphasized, "It won't happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. And you can't do that now. We've had great Arab support."

The president's comments were published as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both voiced opposition to any potential annexation moves by Israel.

Trump explicitly warned that "Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened," underscoring the serious diplomatic consequences of such an action.

During the interview, Trump expressed optimism about Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords—agreements normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab states—by year's end. When asked if Riyadh would join within that timeframe, Trump responded, "Yes, I do. I do."

The president elaborated on changing regional dynamics, saying, "See, they had a problem. They had a Gaza problem, and they had an Iran problem. Now they don't have those two problems," referencing Israel's conflict in Gaza and Iran's nuclear program, which faced U.S. airstrikes earlier this year.

Trump also indicated he would be "making a decision" regarding the potential release of prominent Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti as part of peace initiatives. Barghouti, a member of Hamas's rival Fatah movement, was reportedly among prisoners Hamas sought to have released in the Gaza deal, according to Egyptian state-linked media.

The administration has deployed numerous senior officials to Israel recently to reinforce the fragile Gaza ceasefire that Trump helped broker this month.

However, as Vice President Vance concluded his three-day visit and Secretary Rubio arrived, Israeli lawmakers advanced legislation potentially enabling West Bank annexation.

Vance denounced these legislative moves as a "very stupid political stunt," adding that he "personally take[s] some insult to it."

Before departing Washington, Rubio cautioned Israel against West Bank annexation, warning that parliamentary actions and settler violence threatened the delicate Gaza truce.