But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Brad Knott
- Backed with $15K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC
Knott's campaign platform says "we must stand by Israel," calling it "a loyal ally," and that "any refugees from Gaza must go to Arab countries, not the USA." No position was located on U.S. weapons or funding for Israel.
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 Brad Knott where they stand.
Deep Dive
Knott has represented North Carolina's 13th District since 2025.
His campaign platform has an Israel section, and it is about the alliance rather than about assistance: "Israel, a loyal ally, is the only nation in the Middle East that is free and democratic. Israel is the ancestral home of the Jewish people. Hamas and Hezbollah, and their ally Iran, openly proclaim their desire to destroy Israel and America. We must stand by Israel. And we need a strong foreign policy that holds Iran in check." The section closes with a position on displaced civilians: "Any refugees from Gaza must go to Arab countries, not the USA."
In a June 2025 op-ed he described Iran as "the world's largest state-sponsor of terror."
In August 2026 he co-introduced the bipartisan Right to Worship Act with Rep. Tom Suozzi and Sens. Ted Cruz and Elissa Slotkin, on protecting houses of worship.
His recorded votes appear as badges on this card. Beyond those votes, no statement of his was located on U.S. weapons transfers or funding to the government of Israel, on conditioning assistance, or on U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Seven sources were checked and resolved.
If you want that on the record, you are better placed to get it than we are. Ask him directly, or at a town hall, and send us the reply: it goes on this page in his own words.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 2 tracked votes
• 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 more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 2 tracked votes.)
The money
$15K 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.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- No statement located on U.S. weapons transfers, funding measures or conditioning assistance to the government of Israel, apart from his recorded votes, which appear as badges on this card.
- [Position, read 2026-08-12] His campaign platform's Israel section, on Ballotpedia, opened and confirmed word for word: "Israel, a loyal ally, is the only nation in the Middle East that is free and democratic. Israel is the ancestral home of the Jewish people. Hamas and Hezbollah, and their ally Iran, openly proclaim their desire to destroy Israel and America. We must stand by Israel. And we need a strong foreign policy that holds Iran in check. Any refugees from Gaza must go to Arab countries, not the USA." A live platform page with no publication date, so read-date. "We must stand by Israel" is a statement of alignment; it names no transfer, package or dollar.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- No statement located on U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
- [Position, read 2026-08-12] On displaced civilians from Gaza: "Any refugees from Gaza must go to Arab countries, not the USA" (confirmed verbatim, above). A position on refugee admission to the United States rather than on aid, and the card presents it as that.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, read 2026-08-12] Israel as "a loyal ally," "the only nation in the Middle East that is free and democratic," and "the ancestral home of the Jewish people"; Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran as openly seeking to destroy Israel and America (confirmed verbatim, above).
- [Position, 2025-06-26] An op-ed carried on his House site, opened and confirmed word for word: Iran is "the world's largest state-sponsor of terror and committed anti-U.S. regime." Read in place, the piece argues that Iran's response to U.S. strikes was "largely symbolic," that "we cannot tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran" but "they are not likely to seek outright war with the United States," and its subject is the domestic security risk he attributes to Iranian networks inside the country. It is about Iran, not about U.S. assistance to Israel.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- Nothing located beyond the platform and op-ed above.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, 2026-08-06] Co-introduced the bipartisan Right to Worship Act, H.R. 10052, with Rep. Tom Suozzi and Sens. Ted Cruz and Elissa Slotkin, on buffer zones protecting houses of worship following demonstrations (Suozzi's release, Times of Israel). A four-member bill, so no individual quote is drawn from it. Safety context, never an answer about U.S. weapons or funding. Not opened.
Consulted
- His House site; Ballotpedia; a freshman-class profile; an Arab Center DC policy weekly in which he is mentioned. Seven sources checked and resolved.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found Paul Barringer (Democrat)
- –No Position Found Steven Swinton (Libertarian)
All North Carolina candidates.
See everyone on the North Carolina 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.