AT A GLANCE
- Rep. Jasmine Crockett addressed social media criticism over her Israel stance during a Houston campaign stop.
- She confirmed she has never been endorsed by AIPAC.
- Crockett clarified that a viral clip misrepresented her vote on a foreign aid package.
- She emphasized her opposition to Israel-only funding bills and criticized the Netanyahu government, not Israeli people.
Crockett Said She Will Have a Page Listed on Her Campaign Website to Show Her “Stand on Foreign Policy.”
U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett pushed back against what she described as a “coordinated attack” on social media over her stance on Israel and Gaza, responding to criticism during a campaign stop in Houston as she kicked off her bid for U.S. Senate.
Crockett, who is running in the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary, said misleading clips and claims about her voting record began circulating online shortly after she announced her campaign. Speaking to reporters outside a Houston church she attended during law school, Crockett told Houston Chronicle reporter Jeremy Wallace that her position had been mischaracterized in an effort to distract from larger issues facing voters.
“There was a coordinated attack on me on social media that was mischaracterizing my position,” Crockett said.
The criticism centers on Crockett’s votes related to Israel and U.S. foreign aid, amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza that has left more than 70,000 Palestinians dead. Online posts have falsely suggested she supports Israel-only military funding and that she has backing from the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. Crockett rejected both claims.
She confirmed she has never been endorsed by AIPAC and explained that her vote for an April supplemental aid package was not limited to Israel. According to Crockett, the legislation included funding for defensive aid to Israel as well as humanitarian assistance for Gaza, along with support for Taiwan and Haiti.
“That supplemental package was for defensive help to Israel, as well as it was for money for Gaza. It was for money for Taiwan. It was also money for Haiti. And so yes, I voted for it,” Crockett said. She added that she has voted against other bills that provided funding solely for Israel, a detail she says critics routinely leave out.
Crockett also pointed to the political reality in Washington, noting that Republicans control the U.S. House of Representatives and determine which bills reach the floor. She said Democrats used what leverage they had to secure humanitarian funding for Gaza, Haiti, and Taiwan because Republican-led proposals excluded aid for those regions.
“They are the ones that put the bills on the floor, and we were able to use leverage to be able to get support for other places such as Haiti, such as Gaza,” Crockett said. “There were no packages that the Republicans were putting forth that were actually going to give money for Gaza.”
Addressing remarks she has previously made distinguishing Israel’s government from its people, Crockett reiterated that criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration should not be conflated with hostility toward Israeli citizens.
“I will say this on the record any day, all day. I have no hate for any kind of people,” she said. “I love people, but I don’t necessarily love the Netanyahu government. I don’t think that it’s fair to go after an entire people because you don’t like their government.”
Crockett drew a parallel to her views on the United States, saying she applies the same standard to her own country’s leadership under President Donald Trump.
“I’m not in love with the Trump government either. It’s just is what it is,” she said. Crockett went on to criticize the federal government’s record on civil liberties and immigration enforcement, pointing to what she described as widespread constitutional violations and a record number of deaths connected to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a single year.
She said she welcomes disagreement over her policy positions but rejected what she called deliberate misrepresentation of her record.
“I’m OK with people disagreeing with my record,” Crockett said. “I’m not OK with people disagreeing with something that’s been completely mischaracterized in an attempt to distract.”
Crockett argued that the focus of the Senate race should be on economic pressures and affordability issues facing Texans, rather than social media controversies.
“When we look at where we are right now, people are talking about affordability and the economy, and people are trying to survive,” she said. “I refuse to be distracted.”
As part of her response to the criticism, Crockett said her campaign will add a dedicated foreign policy page to her website outlining her positions in full. She also encouraged voters to compare her record with that of Republican Sen. John Cornyn, suggesting the contrast would be clear.
“If you have any issues,” Crockett said, “go look at Cornyn’s record and see what that does. It looks a little different.”
