Trump Warns After 25-24 Knesset Annexation Vote

In a Time interview published Oct. 15, President Donald Trump warned that Israel would "lose all of its support from the United States" if it moved to annex parts of the West Bank, saying he had given his word to Arab countries that such a step "won't happen." The remarks followed a narrow 25-24 Knesset preliminary vote to advance a bill extending Israeli sovereignty over West Bank settlements, which was pushed by far-right lawmakers and passed despite opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The administration's displeasure was voiced by Vice President JD Vance, who called the vote "very stupid" and an insult, and U.S. officials cautioned that annexation could jeopardize the Gaza ceasefire and broader diplomatic efforts. Trump said he expected Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize ties by year’s end but insisted Israel must honor commitments that secured recent Arab support, warning annexation would have serious diplomatic consequences for Israel.