The United States and Israel “have never had a better relationship” than under President Donald Trump, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Wednesday at The Jerusalem Post Washington Conference, crediting the administration’s posture with consistently rejecting attempts to distort the October 7 massacre. Lutnick said Trump “has Israel’s back,” framing the administration’s approach around “moral clarity” and security support.
Lutnick said every discussion of Gaza and the war should begin with the October 7 attack, and that the administration rebuts narratives that “hijack the discourse.” “He never allowed false narratives to hijack the discourse, and he has Israel’s back,” Lutnick told the audience.
He said any diplomatic or political conversation must start with the Hamas assault in which terrorists murdered more than 1,200 people and kidnapped hundreds.
‘Moral clarity’ in Washington
In a Q&A with conference MC and host Shanna Fuld, Lutnick said too few officials in Washington “are willing to speak with moral clarity because they fear the consequences.” He said Trump “never wavers,” and that such clarity defines the administration’s support for Israel.
That tone, he argued, shapes security policy and the campaign against Hamas. “When you start with October 7, you cannot accept narratives that turn the victim into the aggressor,” he said.
Lutnick added that some elected officials have allowed campus protests and social media campaigns to cloud their judgment. “Too many leaders are checking the mood online rather than checking their own conscience,” he said.
Economic vision for the Middle East
Looking beyond the current war, Lutnick outlined an economic strategy that ties Israeli innovation to Arab entrepreneurship and American capital. He said the Commerce Department is encouraging private-sector partnerships, cross-border investment, and regional projects linking Israel to its neighbors through trade and technology.
“America has to be strong not only militarily but economically,” Lutnick said. “When America leads, we can stand with our allies, we can defend democracy and we can help bring our hostages home. That is the message we are sending from Washington today.”