But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Chris Smith
- Backed with $28K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC
- Sits on House Foreign Affairs
Smith said in June 2025: "I have and will always strongly support Israel." He co-chairs the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, and in 2024 argued for delivering both defensive systems and offensive capabilities without delay.
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You asked Chris Smith where they stand.
Deep Dive
Smith has represented New Jersey's 4th District since 1981 and co-chairs both the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus and the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.
His June 2025 statement on Israel's operations against Iran states the commitment without qualification: "Israel did not initiate this conflict, it has responded to the Iran's existential threats and unrelenting war and aggression. I have and will always strongly support Israel, defend Americans in harm's way, and prevent Iran from acquiring the capacity to produce nuclear weapons." He added that "Iran cannot be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon" and that a nuclear-armed Iran "would be a mortal danger not only to Israel and America but every country in the Middle East."
On the aid itself, the research records that in April 2024 he spoke on the House floor for the $26 billion package, arguing the United States must deliver defensive systems such as Iron Dome and David's Sling along with necessary offensive capabilities without delay. In May 2024 he opposed the pause on heavy munitions shipments before the Rafah operation, and in July 2026 he restated his opposition to cutting or conditioning U.S. security assistance.
He authored the legislation creating the State Department's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
His recorded votes appear as badges on this card and are consistent with all of it.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
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.
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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
$28K 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
- [Position, 2025-06-13] His statement on the conflict with Iran, cited twice by the research and opened and confirmed word for word: "Iran cannot be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. If Iran succeeds in procuring weapons of mass destruction, there is a high probability that they will use them. Israel did not initiate this conflict, it has responded to the Iran's existential threats and unrelenting war and aggression. I have and will always strongly support Israel, defend Americans in harm's way, and prevent Iran from acquiring the capacity to produce nuclear weapons. A nuclear-armed Iran would be a mortal danger not only to Israel and America but every country in the Middle East." (The original sets "conflict" and "it has responded" apart with an em dash, and carries the grammatical slip "the Iran's"; both are left as printed.)
- [Position, 2024-04-20, reported] Spoke on the House floor for the emergency assistance providing over $26 billion in military aid, arguing the United States must deliver defensive systems such as Iron Dome and David's Sling along with necessary offensive capabilities without delay. Cource not located as a readable page; summarised, not quoted.
- [Position, 2024-05, reported] Opposed the pause on heavy munitions shipments before the Rafah operation. See also Patch coverage and NJ Spotlight News on shifting New Jersey Democratic votes. Not opened.
- [Position, 2026-07-16] The research cites a page on his own site for his restated opposition to cutting or conditioning U.S. security assistance. **Opened: the page is a video item titled "Rep. Chris Smith Sounds Alarm on Rising Antisemitism & House Vote to Cut Aid to Israel" and carries no transcript**, so the position is recorded as reported and nothing is quoted from it. Also a July 2026 release, not opened.
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- No statement located in support of U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinians. The research records his opening remarks at a hearing on UNRWA (PDF, not opened), which concerns the agency rather than aid levels.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-01-26, reported] Called the genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice grossly unfounded, false and dangerous, maintaining Israel was acting in self-defence. Dated 2024-01-26, the first day of the position band. Cource not located; recorded as reported.
- [Position, 2025-06-13] "Israel did not initiate this conflict" (confirmed verbatim, above).
- [After October 7, 2023-10-25, reported] Characterised the October 7 attacks as "barbaric" and "genocidal" and said "Israel's right to defend itself from Hamas invasion is absolute." From the weeks right after October 7.
- [After October 7, 2023-11-16] Told NJ Spotlight News he was not ready to support a ceasefire (the video item, cited twice). From the weeks right after October 7; video source.
- [After October 7, 2023-11-13] JNS on his account of the UN record on Israel. From the weeks right after October 7.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, as reported.
- [Position, 2026-03-19] JNS reports that an account impersonating him was posting antisemitic content and that he could not get it removed. About impersonation of him; not a position.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- Co-Chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, and, as reported the author of the legislation establishing the State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. Also a June 2023 hearing and a November 2023 item. Safety context, never an answer about U.S. weapons or funding.
⚠ Note on the sources
- Twenty-one entries. **Seven are unlabelled YouTube videos** (two duplicated), one resolves to nothing, one is a paginated document-query index which is a listing page, and the July 2026 item cited for his aid position turned out to be a video page with no transcript. His single fullest statement was opened and verified.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found Rachel Peace (Democrat)
All New Jersey candidates.
See everyone on the New Jersey 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.