But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Pete Aguilar
- Backed with $25K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC
- Sits on House Appropriations
Aguilar opposed a July 2026 amendment to strike U.S. funding for Israel from FY2027 appropriations, calling it "wrong to abandon our allies." In April 2024 he said support for Israelis' security "will never waver" and urged acting on aid to Israel, humanitarian assistance for Gaza, and Ukraine aid together.
The email has replies@butwhatcanyoudo.org in cc, so we can post their answer on their page in their own words; remove it if you prefer. Keep the subject line as it is, add your name, and send.
You asked Pete Aguilar where they stand.
Deep Dive
On July 15, 2026, Aguilar opposed Rep. Massie's amendment to strike Israel funding from the FY2027 appropriations bill, saying that undermining the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding would compromise national security and "sabotage our ultimate goal of a two-state solution," and that "it's wrong to abandon our allies and walk away from our agreements during such a fragile moment." On April 16, 2024, at a House Democratic leadership press conference, he said "our support for the safety and security of the Israeli people will never waver" and urged Congress to act immediately on aid to Israel, humanitarian assistance for the people in Gaza, and aid for Ukraine.
On May 16, 2024, he criticized the House GOP's Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which would have compelled delivery of paused arms shipments to the government of Israel, arguing that "the President sets foreign policy" on arms transfers. He voted against that bill; he has spoken about the vote in those terms. In November 2023 he criticized standalone Israel-only aid packages that left out Ukraine and broader security funding.
On the conflict itself: on October 11, 2023 he said "this is not a time for false moral equivalencies," calling Hamas members terrorists, not militants or freedom fighters. On May 7, 2024, discussing Rafah, he named the priorities as returning the hostages, defeating Hamas, and surging humanitarian assistance to Gaza. In July 2026 he framed a two-state solution and humanitarian assistance for Palestinian civilians as central long-term objectives. He also condemned Iran's April 2024 strikes on Israel, calling Israel America's "closest ally in the Middle East."
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 3 of 6 tracked votes
House Committee on Appropriations
• 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 exactly half of their recorded tracked votes. The tie is broken by money this election cycle from a lobbying group we track and an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 3 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$25K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (2026 endorsement)
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
Searched 2026-08-10 for: Aguilar antisemitism statement; Aguilar Israel rhetoric; Aguilar Israel military aid weapons; Aguilar Gaza conflict statement). Recorded key votes and AIPAC/DMFI totals are badges; not restated here.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- 2026-07-15 [Current position; verified against source]: Statement opposing Rep. Massie's amendment to strike Israel funding from FY2027 appropriations: undermining the U.S.-Israel MOU "would compromise our national security, hurt our efforts...and sabotage our ultimate goal of a two-state solution"; "I believe it's wrong to abandon our allies and walk away from our agreements during such a fragile moment." Statement. Middle clause of the MOU sentence returned only in part when the page was read; head and tail match the text in the search notes.
- 2024-04-16 [Current position; verified against source]: Leadership press conference: "our support for the safety and security of the Israeli people will never waver"; "We need to act immediately on aid to Israel, humanitarian assistance for the people in Gaza and aid for Ukraine." Release.
- 2024-05-16 [Current position; inline date comes from the text itself; video page undated; not independently verified]: Criticized the Israel Security Assistance Support Act (compelling delivery of delayed arms shipments to the government of Israel), arguing "the President sets foreign policy" on arms transfers. Video. Matches his recorded No vote on H.R. 8369 (badge).
Characterization of the conflict
- 2023-10-11 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Press briefing after October 7: "this is not a time for false moral equivalencies"; called Hamas members "terrorists" rather than "militants" or "freedom fighters." Release.
- 2024-05-07 [Current position; inline date comes from the text itself; video undated]: On Rafah operations, named core priorities: "returning of the hostages, defeating Hamas, and surging the humanitarian assistance to Gaza." Video.
- 2026-07-15 [Current position]: Framed a two-state solution plus humanitarian assistance for Palestinian civilians as central long-term Middle East objectives. Statement.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- 2023-11-02 inline, source published 2023-11-07 [Months after October 7, 2023; date discrepancy noted]: Criticized House Republicans for standalone Israel aid packages without broader national security funding, arguing separation left allies like Ukraine vulnerable. Release.
- 2024-04-16 [Current position; verified]: Condemned "Iran's unprovoked attack against Israel"; "our closest ally in the Middle East." Release.
- 2025-08-12 [Current position; SOURCE DID NOT OPEN, cannot be used on the card]: Reported congressional educational trip to Israel affiliated with the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF). Only source jpost.com article-800346 would not open; unlinked, on this page only.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- 2023-11-07 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Spoke against rising hate crimes, citing defacement of synagogues and Jewish-owned delis in his district; noted membership in the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. Release.
- 2024-05-07 [Current position; inline date comes from the text itself; video undated]: On campus tensions: free speech is protected, "violence and vandalism" are not; Jewish students must feel safe. Video.
- 2026-05-20 [Current position; inline date comes from the text itself; video undated]: Called on both parties to speak out against antisemitic remarks regardless of affiliation. Video.
Also in this race
- ?Mixed Stephanie Vargas (Republican)
All California candidates.
See everyone on the California ballot →But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open Find Your Candidates for votes, funding and contact details.