But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Ro Khanna
Khanna introduced a June 2026 NDAA amendment to strike Section 224, a provision for deeper U.S.-Israel military integration; it failed. He says Americans "want less cooperation and blank checks to Israel, not more." In April 2026 he questioned continuing U.S. foreign aid to Israel on ABC.
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You asked Ro Khanna where they stand.
Deep Dive
In June 2026 Khanna moved to strike Section 224 of the National Defense Authorization Act, a provision expanding U.S.-Israel defense technology cooperation and military integration. The amendment failed in committee; arguing for it, he said Americans "want less cooperation and blank checks to Israel, not more. Only the United States Congress would dream up at this moment, 'Let's actually do more for Israel,' not less." In an April 2026 ABC This Week interview he questioned continuing foreign aid to Israel, saying Israel has a multi-billion-dollar defense budget and can finance its own defense; that account rests on a video post and is pending verification.
On the conflict itself, Khanna led a September 2025 letter calling for U.S. recognition of an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Jewish state, and in February 2026 introduced a resolution condemning Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank. In October 2025 he told The Times of Israel he supports Zionism and Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and rejects any justification for Hamas violence.
On money from lobbying groups, a decision separate from any weapons or aid position: after AIPAC ran ads against him in December 2025, Khanna in June 2026 became the first lawmaker to sign the Track AIPAC PEACE Pledge, refusing funds from AIPAC and affiliated PACs.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 1 of 5 tracked votes · Cosponsors the Block the Bombs Act
House Committee on Armed Services
• Vote record imported from official House Clerk roll calls for H.R. 6126, H.R. 8034, and H.R. 8369. Other position fields remain under investigation.
How this mark works
We track key votes on sending U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel. A check means every tracked vote they cast came down against sending more, on the side of peace and de-escalation. A question mark means a mixed record: they sided with sending up to half of the time. An X means they voted to send more weapons and money in over half of their tracked votes, even as the way those weapons and dollars were being used became more and more obvious. At exactly half, money this election cycle from a lobbying group we track, or an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons, makes it an X. Only votes actually cast are counted. Where a candidate has no recorded votes on these bills, the mark comes instead from a reviewed reading of their public record (money from the lobbying groups we track, endorsements, and their own words since January 26, 2024). There an X also covers fully backing the conduct of the war by the government of Israel without significant reservations, and a question mark also covers speaking about Israel without saying clearly where they stand on U.S. weapons and funding. A dash means No Position Found: we found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.
See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.
Voted to send weapons or funding in some, but no more than half, of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 1 of 5 tracked votes.)
The money
Checked the five lobbying groups we track; no direct 2026 support found
In their words
Peace Action (2026 endorsement) · A New Policy PAC (2026 endorsement) · Track AIPAC (2026 endorsement)
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
All dates in the search notes were month-only date taken from the text itselfs; day-level dates below come from source publication dates where available and are otherwise tagged.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- April 2024 [Current position; inline month-only date]: At a House Oversight Committee hearing, questioned witnesses on whether the U.S. should stop sending offensive weapons to Israel. Source: YouTube (video, text unverified).
- April 2026 [Current position; inline month-only date; pending verification]: On ABC's This Week, questioned continuing foreign aid to Israel, saying Israel has a multi-billion-dollar defense budget and should finance its own defense. Source: ABC This Week Facebook video (opened, but a video; the text could not be checked).
- June 2026 [Current position; article dates 2026-06-04/08]: Introduced an NDAA amendment to strike Section 224 (deeper U.S.-Israel military integration and defense technology cooperation); rejected in the House Armed Services Committee markup, with the NDAA approved including Section 224. Truthout, Common Dreams. An imeupolicyproject.org memo cited alongside would not open.
- June 2026 [Current position; verified]: Speaking for the amendment: "want less cooperation and blank checks to Israel, not more. Only the United States Congress would dream up at this moment, 'Let's actually do more for Israel,' not less." Also: "we need to tell Netanyahu that America calls the shots." Verified against Truthout.
Characterization of the conflict
- November 2023 [Months after October 7, 2023; inline month-only date; article 2023-11-26]: Called for a "lasting ceasefire" on ABC's This Week and a diplomatic path to an independent Palestinian state. Washington Examiner.
- February 2024 [Current position; article 2024-02-09]: Described Gaza as a "humanitarian catastrophe" and "matter of conscience"; urged the Biden administration to use diplomatic leverage to halt the war. Khanna site, Common Dreams reprint.
- September 2025 [Current position; release 2025-09-26]: Led a letter calling for U.S. recognition of an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Jewish state. Press release, CFR event.
- February 2026 [Current position; article 2026-02-26]: Introduced a resolution condemning Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank. Middle East Eye.
- July 2026 [Current position; article 2026-07-24]: Recounted being temporarily detained with a congressional delegation by armed Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. Arab American News, YouTube.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- October 2025 [Current position; article 2025-10-21]: Said he supports Zionism and Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state; rejected justification for Hamas violence. Times of Israel. A jpost.com source would not open.
- December 2025 [Current position; article 2025-12-03]: After AIPAC ran digital ads against him, posted a video saying AIPAC was trying to undermine him politically over his Gaza statements. Jewish Insider.
- June 2026 [Current position; item 2026-06-18]: Signed the Track AIPAC PEACE Pledge, first member of Congress to do so; rejects money from AIPAC and affiliate PACs. A funding-refusal decision, separate from any weapons or aid position. Democracy Now.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- February 2024 [Current position; page 2024-02-09]: Co-introduced with Rep. Fitzpatrick a bipartisan resolution on Holocaust and antisemitism education. Khanna site.
- March 2024 [Current position; release 2024-03-17]: Spoke at a Bay Area Jewish Coalition town hall on rising antisemitism. Press release.
- October 2025 [Current position; article 2025-10-21]: Said denying the right of a Jewish state to exist is a modern form of antisemitism. Times of Israel.
Also in this race
- ✗Supports Ritesh Tandon (Republican)
All California candidates.
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