Adrian Smith
Smith voted for every tracked aid bill and against both amendments to cut aid to Israel, writing in October 2024 that “Israel’s right to self-defense must be respected and reinforced”. Defending his aid votes, he said “A lot of this actually helps us with our military”.
Smith has represented Nebraska’s 3rd District since 2007. His six recorded votes on the tracked bills, for all four aid measures and against both amendments to cut aid to Israel, appear as badges on this card.
In his October 2024 column he criticized the administration’s hesitancy to deliver aid: "Israel’s right to self-defense must be respected and reinforced." Defending his aid votes in a 2024 primary-season interview with Nebraska Public Media: "A lot of this actually helps us with our military, being able to update the technology, replace equipment with newer equipment, and be able to help our friends at the same time."
After Prime Minister Netanyahu’s July 2024 address, his statement rejected "illegitimate claims against Israel’s right to forcefully pursue the freedom of hostages taken by Hamas" and accused the administration of "balking on its delivery of support authorized by Congress". Marking one year since October 7, he wrote he is "committed to standing up against terror and supporting our greatest regional ally, Israel."
His antisemitism record is long-standing: a January 2020 column arguing Americans "must do our part here in the United States", and questioning in a June 2024 Ways and Means hearing on campus antisemitism. A 2016 release celebrated his district supplying Israel’s first U.S. beef imports after a decades-long ban.
Nothing located has him addressing U.S. aid to Palestinians as a distinct question.
Tracked votes: backed sending U.S. weapons or funding to the government of Israel in 6 of 6 recorded votes.
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card: Yes on all four tracked aid bills, No on both amendments to cut aid to Israel.
- [Position, 2024-10-04] The foreign-policy column, verified and quoted on the card.
- [Position, 2024-05] The Nebraska Public Media primary interview, verified and quoted on the card.
- [Position, 2024-07-24] The Netanyahu-address statement, verified: balking-on-delivery and illegitimate-claims passages.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located as a distinct position at any date.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-10-07] The October 7 remembrance statement, verified: greatest-regional-ally framing, quoted in the deep dive.
- [Iran, 2024-04-19] His column after Iran’s April 2024 attack, verified: Iran as "the primary state sponsor" of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis; he cosponsored the House resolution affirming Israel’s right to self-defense. Iran-attack framing held here.
- [Iran, 2024-10-01] His statement on Iran’s missile attack, verified: "foreign policy of empty words." Research page only.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Trade, 2016-02-09] The Nebraska-beef release, verified; district color.
- Tracked funding totals appear as a badge on this card.
Safety and antisemitism
- [Position, 2020-01-10] The anti-antisemitism column, verified, including his argument that Israel "should not suffer the consequences of a bigoted campaign against its sovereignty".
- [Action, 2024-06-13] The Ways and Means campus-antisemitism hearing, per the committee’s own recap; his November 2023 hearing participation is off the card.
Race and status context
- Sitting member, nominated. His Democratic challenger’s card carries its own record.
Also in this race: Becky Stille (Democrat) · All Nebraska candidates.
See the full record →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 the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.