The Senate confirmed President Trump’s pick for ambassador to Israel Thursday in a near party line vote.
David Friedman won the support of every Republican senator present along with two Democrats, New Jersey senator Bob Menendez and West Virginia senator Joe Manchin, in a 52 to 46 vote.
Friedman faced a tough confirmation hearing in February, with Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee drilling him on his past views of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and inflammatory remarks he made previously about left-leaning political officials and groups.
Manchin told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that he voted for Friedman in part out of deference to the president.
“I’m deferential to any executive putting a team together, whether I like them or not,” he said. “When I was governor, I asked people to let me put my team together. [Trump] wants to put his team together.”
Friedman repeatedly expressed regret during his confirmation hearing for past comments he made, which include a description of the leaders of the Anti-Defamation League as “morons.” The group’s CEO subsequently accepted his apology.
Manchin said Thursday that he recognized Friedman’s contrition.
“He apologized, he came in here and talked to me. I said, man, you were saying some things,” he said. “He said ‘I was wrong.’ I don’t know what else you do.”
Other Democrats, including New Jersey senator Cory Booker and Connecticut senator Chris Murphy, told TWS in February they were having difficulty accepting Friedman’s regrets.
Friedman also told lawmakers in February that he is open to a two-state solution, rolling back past criticism of it, and said the expansion of Israeli homes into new territories “may not be helpful.” Both views are in line with suggestions President Trump has made.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted support for Friedman soon after he was confirmed.
“New US ambassador to Israel David Friedman will be warmly welcomed as President Trump’s representative and as a close friend of Israel,” Netanyahu wrote.
Christians United for Israel, the country’s largest pro-Israel organization, advocated for Friedman’s confirmation. The group hosted a January fly-in with hundreds of supporters, urging lawmakers to support the nomination.
“Christians United for Israel has worked hard to ensure that David Friedman would be confirmed, from taking out full page ads in Washington newspapers to having our membership visit with, call and e-mail every senator,” CUFI founding executive director David Brog said in a statement. “We are pleased that the Senate has done the right thing.”
J Street, which has been the target of some of Friedman’s past remarks, campaigned aggressively against his confirmation.
