But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Byron Donalds
Florida holds Israeli government bonds, and Donalds defends the investment, asking whether retirees "should get a lower rate of return". On continuing U.S. military aid to that government, he said Israel "will remain our ally in the Middle East. That is non-negotiable".
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You asked Byron Donalds where they stand.
Deep Dive
Donalds represents a Florida district in the U.S. House and won the Republican nomination for governor on August 18, 2026. He faces David Jolly in November.
In the primary the argument was about state money. His Republican primary rival, James Fishback, had pledged to direct Florida's agencies and public universities to sell their Israeli government bonds, which that campaign put at roughly $385 million. Donalds took the other side. At a May campaign event he said "Israel is our ally. That is not going to change," and that "Anybody, in my opinion, who is trying to sever the relationship between the Israelis and the United States is acting, quite frankly, in the interest of the Iranian regime." In August he defended the state's Israeli bond holdings in a podcast conversation, recounting what he told a voter who asked about divesting: "Treasury bonds have a lower yield than Israeli bonds." Florida Politics reports that the decision rests with the State Board of Administration, whose three trustees include the governor.
On the federal question he has been just as plain. At a Naples event in February where U.S. military aid to that government was the question, he said "Israel is our ally in the Middle East. They will remain our ally in the Middle East. That is non-negotiable". His recorded votes match: for the packages that sent military aid to the government of Israel, and against the amendments that would have cut it. His own Weekly Wrap-Up newsletter of April 2024 says "It is imperative that the United States stands firmly in support of our ally Israel as they face existential attacks from the mullahs of Iran and their terrorist proxies."
Nothing located from him addresses U.S. aid to Palestinians in its own right, and his campaign's own issues page does not mention any of this: eleven issues, none of them Israel, foreign aid or state investment.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
• As the U.S. Representative for FL-19 (2021-present), voted Yea on all four Israel security supplemental appropriations measures the House took up after Oct. 7, 2023: H.R. 6126 (On Passage, Nov. 2, 2023, passed 226-196), H.R. 7217 (On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, Feb. 6, 2024, 250-180, failed for want of two-thirds), H.R. 8034, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (On Passage, April 20, 2024, passed 366-58), and H.R. 8369, the Israel Security Assistance Support Act (On Passage, May 16, 2024, passed 224-187).
• Voted against both floor amendments that would have cut U.S. money for Israel: No on H.Amdt.55 to H.R. 4016 (Roll 207, July 18, 2025), the Greene amendment to strike funding for the Israeli Cooperative Programs, which failed 6-422; and No on H.Amdt.235 to H.R. 8595 (Roll 243, July 15, 2026), the Massie amendment to prohibit the bill's funds from being used for Israel and cut $3,300,000,000 from the Foreign Military Financing Program account, which failed 104-314 with 10 voting Present. On both, a No vote was the pro-sending position.
• On April 20, 2024, when House leadership split the foreign-aid package into separate bills, Donalds voted for the Israel supplemental (H.R. 8034) and against the Ukraine supplemental (H.R. 8035, which passed 311-112 with 1 Present). In his official newsletter three days later he explained the Ukraine vote as a border-security objection to "the Speaker's bill" while writing in the same newsletter that the United States must stand firmly with Israel.
• Received the Zionist Organization of America's Robert Kasowitz Outstanding Patriot and Pro-Israel Congressman Award at ZOA's Florida Superstar Gala at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in Palm Beach (release dated April 3, 2025). This is an award from the organization, not a PAC endorsement.
• Made his first trip to Israel in May 2019, while a member of the Florida House of Representatives, on a tour with the American Israel Education Foundation, AIPAC's affiliated charity, travelling around the country and to Ramallah.
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 more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$23K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
State money and state action toward the government of Israel
- [Position, 2026-05-08] At a campaign engagement reported by The Floridian: "Israel is our ally. That is not going to change". And: "Anybody, in my opinion, who is trying to sever the relationship between the Israelis and the United States is acting, quite frankly, in the interest of the Iranian regime." The outlet reports he "has opposed removing investments in Israeli bonds". The date is the publication date, disclosed as such: the article places the remarks in that week.
- [Position, 2026-08-12] In a conversation with the podcaster James O'Keefe, reported by Florida Politics, he recounted his answer to a voter at a rally who asked whether Florida should divest from Israeli bonds and move the money into Treasury bonds: "I said, ‘Well, ma’am, Treasury bonds have a lower yield than Israeli bonds. So what you’re saying is the retirees in that fund, police officers, teachers, nurses, firefighters … should get a lower rate of return in their retirement?’ Like, that’s what’s happening. But I know it’s a hot-button issue. So you’ve got to bring facts and reality to the situation." The date is the article's publication date; the podcast's own date is not given. The article notes that the decision rests with the State Board of Administration, "whose three trustees are the Governor, the Attorney General and the CFO", and that WLRN reported earlier this year that the state holds $350 million in Israeli bonds. It is the most recent item on this record.
- [Position, 2026-02-13] At a listening session with Jewish leaders at a Boca Raton Chabad center, reported by The Floridian, he said he would travel to Israel as governor, as Gov. DeSantis did, and that "I think it's important for us to be clear that this is going to be about mutual economic benefit for Florida and for Israel." His remarks at the same session about Sharia law are not about what the United States sends and are not recorded here.
- [Context, 2025-12-29] The divestment demand he answered in the primary: Algemeiner reports his then-rival James Fishback's campaign putting Florida state and university Israel Bonds holdings at about $385 million and pledging divestment on day one. The $385 million is that campaign's figure as reported, not an audit.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- [Position, 2026-02-23] At a fundraising event in Naples where the question of funding Israel was put to candidates, The Floridian quotes him: "Israel is our ally in the Middle East. They will remain our ally in the Middle East. That is non-negotiable." Opened and confirmed word for word, and checked against the rest of the piece: the article carries answers from several other candidates for his House seat, and none of their words is used here.
- [Position, 2024 to 2026] The six recorded votes shown on this card, each cross-checked against the Clerk of the House roll call, for example H.R. 8034 and the 2026 amendment vote. Four Yeas on Israel supplemental measures; two Nos on amendments that would have cut money. Not re-listed in prose.
- [Position, 2025-07-18] Voted against H.Amdt.55, which would have struck funding for the Israeli Cooperative Programs; it failed 6 to 422.
- [Position, 2026-07-15] Voted against H.Amdt.235, to bar the bill's funds from being used for Israel and cut $3.3 billion from the Foreign Military Financing account; it failed 104 to 314.
- [Position, 2024-04-23] His official Weekly Wrap-Up newsletter: "It is imperative that the United States stands firmly in support of our ally Israel as they face existential attacks from the mullahs of Iran and their terrorist proxies."
- [Position, 2024-04-18] Fox Business interview on the foreign assistance packages, in which he says the United States needs to take care of Israel. A video page; the text recovered is a summary rather than a transcript, so nothing is quoted from it.
- [Earlier record, 2021-05-24] Constituent newsletter: "As our closest ally in the Middle East, and one of our strongest allies worldwide, Israel, continues to defend itself from rockets coming from Hamas, I stand proudly in support of Israel."
- [Earlier record, 2020-12-10] Jewish News Syndicate interview as a representative-elect, calling the relationship the most important in the region, and saying of Florida's law barring state investment in companies that boycott the government of Israel: "It's something that all Americans and all members of Congress should agree on. The federal government should do the same thing."
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located. He has not addressed the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees or humanitarian funding for Gaza in anything located.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-10-07] Statement on the first anniversary of the attack, calling for the release of all hostages held in Gaza.
- [Position, 2025-04-22] At a town hall in Estero he defended Israeli military operations in exchanges with constituents. The pages offered for it are videos whose words cannot be read as text, so nothing is quoted.
- [Reaction window, 2023-10-07] His post on the day of the attack, as quoted by Florida Politics: "The State of Israel is under attack, and this beautiful and holy land needs the prayers and support of the world during this tumultuous time. May God bless the people of Israel." It stays on this page only.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Position, 2025-05-12] Visited the Lubavitch Educational Center in Miami and spoke about supporting Israel.
- [Position, 2025-04-03] Received the Zionist Organization of America's Robert Kasowitz Outstanding Patriot and Pro-Israel Congressman Award at its Florida gala (release). An award, not an endorsement: the word endorse appears nowhere on the page.
- [Position, 2026-07-24] A critical essay about his record on this subject opens and is listed so a reader can see what was read. It is commentary, not a source of fact, and nothing is taken from it.
- American Israel Public Affairs Committee lifetime support and Republican Jewish Coalition lifetime support are badges on this card and are not restated.
- [Position, read 2026-09-25] Negative finding: his campaign issues page now lists eleven issues, from affordability to transparency and accountability, and mentions Israel, foreign aid, divestment, boycotts and bonds nowhere. When read on 2026-07-27 his endorsements page carried no group in this area.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, 2024-05-02] Statement on federal antisemitism legislation, arguing federal efforts should mirror Florida's 2019 statute while protecting constitutional rights.
- [Position, 2024-05-01] Visited a protest encampment at George Washington University with House colleagues, covered by Anadolu Agency and the campus paper.
- [Position, 2024-05-17] Introduced a resolution to strip federal funding from universities that fail to protect Jewish students; The Floridian covered it.
- [Position, 2025-10-07] Marked the second anniversary of the attack by setting out his antisemitism work.
- Context, not an answer on what the United States sends.
Race and status context
- Sitting U.S. Representative for a Florida district and the Republican nominee for governor after the August 18, 2026 primary, which he won with 47.9 percent of the vote, per Ballotpedia. He faces David Jolly (D), Scott Jewett (L) and several candidates with no party affiliation in November.
- [Position, 2026-09-22] WUSF reports that Jolly declined to debate him, so no general-election debate is expected (https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2026-09-22/florida-no-debates-general-election-statewide-political-race).
Also in this race
- ✗Supports David Jolly (Democrat)
- –No Position Found Scott Jewett (Libertarian)
- ✗Supports Charles Burkett (Other)
- ?Mixed Dean Abrams (Other)
- –No Position Found Erik Morris (write-in) (Other)
- –No Position Found Frank Russo (Other)
- –No Position Found Jeffrey Datto (Other)
- –No Position Found Kathy Anderson (write-in) (Other)
- ?Mixed Moliere Dimanche (Other)
All Florida candidates.
See everyone on the Florida 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.