But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check

Chuck Fleischmann

Republican · U.S. House, Tennessee District 3
✗Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes

Fleischmann's office states that "aid to Israel is critical to our security in the Middle East. Israel's security is simply non-negotiable." Confronted by pro-Palestinian activists in March 2024 he said: "I will always support Israel, and you can tell the Palestinians, I will never support them!"

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Deep Dive

Fleischmann represents Tennessee's 3rd District, centered on Chattanooga, sits on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and is running for re-election.

His official foreign-affairs page, read in full, states: "Although I am dedicated to cutting spending throughout our government, I believe aid to Israel is critical to our security in the Middle East. Israel's security is simply non-negotiable."

In March 2024, in a Capitol hallway exchange with pro-Palestinian activists first reported by the Chattanooga Times Free Press and quoted by Baptist News Global, he answered a question about Gaza casualties: "Let me make it clear: Israel is our ally, will always be our ally, they are not guilty of genocide, and I will support Israel forever." When a Palestinian activist asked him to say it to his face, he replied: "Then I will tell you to your face: Goodbye to Palestine. I support Israel. Goodbye to Palestine. We will support Israel forever."

His earlier record points the same way: in February 2022 he condemned Amnesty International's report calling it "hateful and distorted" for labeling Israel an "apartheid state." In June 2025 he supported Israel's strikes on Iranian targets in comments broadcast on WBIR. He has no located statement on U.S. aid to Palestinians as a policy question.

The record

Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes · Backs 0 of 1 tracked bills to restrict weapons transfers

Committees

House Committee on Appropriations

Floor votes
H.R. 6126 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act2023-11-02 · Passed 226-196
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 7217 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-02-06 · Failed 250-180 (needed 2/3 under suspension)
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8034 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-04-20 · Passed 366-58
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8369 - Israel Security Assistance Support Act2024-05-16 · Passed 224-187
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8595 - Massie amendment (Part A No. 8) to bar FY27 funds for Israel and cut $3.3B in Foreign Military Financing2026-07-15 · Failed 104-314
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
H.Amdt. 55 to H.R. 4016 - strike $500M for Israeli Cooperative Programs2025-07-18 · Failed 6-422 (only 6 voted to cut)
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
Bill sponsorship
H.R. 3565 - Block the Bombs ActWould bar transfer of 2,000-lb/BLU-109 bunker busters, JDAMs, 120mm tank rounds, and 155mm artillery shells to Israel. Does not affect Iron
Not sponsoringhas not backed this restriction bill
H.R. 1229 - United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025Formalizes/expands bilateral defense cooperation with Israel.
Co-sponsorbacks this bill to send more support
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

$25K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track

Lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
AIPAC PAC: $25,000
Support-only OpenFEC data (as of 2026-10-03). Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
Who these lobbying groups are
AIPAC$25,000The American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.Direct contributions and independent expenditures supporting this candidate from the five lobbying groups we track, every cycle each has filed, through 2026. Excludes earmarked and conduit contributions.
Endorsed by AIPAC
AIPACThe American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.These endorsements come from groups that back sending U.S. weapons and funding to the government of Israel.

In their words

“Although I am dedicated to cutting spending throughout our government, I believe aid to Israel is critical to our security in the Middle East. Israel's security is simply non-negotiable.”
Source ↗, 2026-08-12
“I will always support Israel, and you can tell the Palestinians, I will never support them!”
Source ↗, 2024-03-11
Endorsements

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, published 2026-08-12] His live foreign-affairs issues page: "I am committed to supporting policies enhancing the United States-Israel relationship, which will strengthen the security of both nations. Although I am dedicated to cutting spending throughout our government, I believe aid to Israel is critical to our security in the Middle East. Israel's security is simply non-negotiable." Opened and confirmed word for word.
  • [Position, 2024-04-23] Knox News interview after his appointment to the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, advocating military funding including aid to Israel. Not opened.
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-09] Joined the Tennessee delegation letter urging the President to provide Israel all necessary weapons and munitions.
  • [After October 7, 2023-11-08] Bloomberg Balance of Power interview: American rhetoric must match funding commitments; advocated swift emergency military aid. Video source.
  • His recorded votes on the tracked bills appear as badges on this card and align with the stated position. No located statement about an individual vote.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No statement or documented position found by the research on U.S. aid to Palestinians, UNRWA, or Gaza humanitarian funding as a policy question. The March 2024 exchange below is a statement about Palestinians generally, not about the aid pipeline.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, March 2024] Capitol hallway exchange, reported by the Chattanooga Times Free Press and quoted in full by Baptist News Global (2024-03-11): asked "Why do you support the genocide and all of the war crimes and collective punishment?", he said: "Let me make it clear: Israel is our ally, will always be our ally, they are not guilty of genocide, and I will support Israel forever." And: "The Jewish state will exist, it will always exist, and that is for God to do and to decide. And I will always support Israel. I will always support Israel, and you can tell the Palestinians, I will never support them!" To a Palestinian activist: "Then I will tell you to your face: Goodbye to Palestine. I support Israel. Goodbye to Palestine. We will support Israel forever." Opened and confirmed word for word. Note: the source is an opinion essay that goes on to criticize him sharply; only the reported exchange is used here, and none of the essay's characterizations are adopted.
  • [Earlier record, 2022-02-03] Statement condemning Amnesty International's report as "hateful and distorted" for calling Israel an "apartheid state."
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-10] Fox Business interview: called the October 7 attacks "evil"; urged a strong response alongside Israel.
  • [Position, 2025-06-13] In WBIR comments, supported Israel's preemptive strikes on Iranian targets as necessary to eliminate threats to Israel. Video source; not opened.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [After October 7, 2023-11-13] Floor remarks denouncing Rep. Rashida Tlaib for calling Israel an "apartheid regime" and criticizing lawmakers who opposed Iron Dome funding.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • [Earlier record, 2019-07-23] Statement condemning the BDS movement as "rooted in anti-Semitic hatred"; advocated federal anti-BDS measures.
  • [Position, 2024-02] Co-sponsored H.R. 6090, the Antisemitism Awareness Act (IHRA definition in civil-rights enforcement).
  • [Position, 2024-05-01] Statement after House passage of H.R. 6090 condemning "virulent antisemitism" on campuses and harassment of Jewish students by "pro-Hamas terrorist sympathizers"; urged Senate passage. His issues page carries the release.

Consulted

Also in this race

  1. ✓ Anna Golladay (Democrat)
  2. – Dean Arnold (Independent)
  3. – Donnie Lynn Ownby (Independent)
  4. – Edward John Roland (Independent)
  5. – Jean Howard-Hill (Independent)
  6. – Rodney Joe King (Independent)

All Tennessee candidates.

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.