Joe Wilson
Wilson voted for every tracked aid bill and against both amendments to cut aid to Israel, and authors bills funding joint U.S.-Israel defense programs. He called the ICC’s Netanyahu warrants “despicable” from “long an anti-semitic organization”, and pledged “victory over the Iranian regime and its puppets”.
Wilson has represented South Carolina’s 2nd District since 2001 and is among the House’s most consistent Israel supporters. His six recorded votes appear as badges on this card: Yes on all four tracked aid measures, No on both amendments to cut aid to Israel.
He legislates on the alliance directly: the United States-Israel Future of Warfare Act (2023) proposed a $50 million annual fund for joint work on AI, cybersecurity, automation, and directed energy, and the 2025 United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act with Rep. Norcross would authorize $150 million annually through 2030 for counter-drone systems, anti-tunneling, and war-reserve stock authority.
Marking one year since October 7, he pledged: "We will not rest until we bring them home and achieve victory over the Iranian regime and its puppets." After Yahya Sinwar’s death he thanked the Israeli military for eliminating a "deranged Hamas leader", and in November 2024 he denounced the ICC’s arrest warrants for Israeli leaders as "despicable and an affront to Israel", calling the court "Long an anti-semitic organization" and backing sanctions against it.
His pro-Israel record spans decades of his own releases, from 2008 Gaza statements through a 2017 floor defense of Israel at the U.N. and co-chairing the House Israel Caucus, documented on the research page. AIPAC’s and the Republican Jewish Coalition’s tracked support appears as badges on this card.
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 H.R. 6126, H.R. 8034, H.R. 8369, and H.R. 7217; No on both amendments to cut aid to Israel.
- [Action, 2023-03-24] The Future of Warfare Act introduction, verified.
- [Action, 2025-02-14] The Defense Partnership Act introduction, verified.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located as a distinct position at any date.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-10-07] The anniversary statement, verified and quoted on the card; the Iranian-regime phrase sits inside his own sentence.
- [Position, 2024-10-17] The Sinwar statement, verified.
- [Prior positions, 2008-2019] His 2008 Gaza, 2014 human-shields, and 2019 rocket-attacks releases on his own site; reported, not confirmed directly, not reretrieved.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Position, 2024-11-21] The ICC statement, verified and quoted on the card, including the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act co-sponsorship.
- [Iran, 2024-10-01] His statement on Iran’s missile attack blaming "Biden-Harris weakness"; Iran material, research page only.
- [Role] House Israel Caucus co-chair, per his own 2021 release commending Prime Minister Netanyahu; reported, not confirmed directly. His February 2025 Israel Allies Caucus relaunch post is a Facebook source, not yet confirmed.
- Tracked AIPAC and RJC support appears as badges; the Post and Courier profiled the AIPAC relationship.
Safety and antisemitism
- [Position, 2023-11] His remarks against the river-to-the-sea slogan as "clearly antisemitic & hateful" fall near that period; the source offered is in-window material and stays off the card.
- [Action, 2024-05-07 and 2025-05-08] His campus-antisemitism hearing appearances; video sources, not yet confirmed.
Race and status context
- Sitting member, nominated. His Democratic challenger’s card carries its own record.
Also in this race: Zyon Khalifa (Democrat) · All South Carolina 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.