Ex-Biden National Security Aide Backs Possible Pause on U.S. Arms to Israel

Jake Sullivan, former U.S. National Security Advisor under President Joe Biden, said this week that he supports congressional efforts to withhold weapons from Israel, citing the breakdown of a Gaza ceasefire and changing conditions on the ground.

Appearing on The Bulwark podcast, Sullivan revealed he had privately advised Democratic lawmakers considering arms restriction resolutions. “I have, in fact, told a number of members... that the situation as it stands today, following the breakdown of the ceasefire in March, means that a vote to withhold weapons to Israel is a totally credible position,” Sullivan said. “That is a position I would support.”

His remarks come amid growing divisions within the Democratic Party. In July, 27 Democratic senators voted in favor of a resolution introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have blocked certain arms transfers to Israel a record high level of support, though the measure ultimately failed in the Senate.

Sullivan’s current stance marks a significant shift from his time in the White House, where he served as the administration’s chief advocate for continued military aid to Israel. During the first year and a half of the war, following Hamas’s October 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 hostages, Sullivan had urged Congress to oppose restrictions on defense support to the Jewish state.

He now frames his position within a broader reassessment of U.S.-Israel relations, pointing to unease over the direction of Israeli domestic policy under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current government.

While Sullivan did not retract support for Israel’s right to self-defense, his endorsement of arms withholding reflects mounting pressure from progressive Democrats to condition aid on changes in Israeli military conduct in Gaza particularly following the collapse of ceasefire talks earlier this year.

The White House has not responded to Sullivan’s comments, but the statement adds fuel to ongoing debates in Washington over how to balance strategic alliance with accountability.

At a time when Israel continues to fight a multi-front war against Iranian-backed terror networks and protect its citizens from constant threats, the suggestion of withholding weapons is viewed by many as both misguided and dangerous. Israel’s security needs remain urgent and existential and U.S. support has always been a cornerstone of its ability to survive.

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