Steeler Aaron Rodgers accuses Trump administration of being ‘pro-Israel first’
Comments made on Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast
Just days before the Pittsburgh Steelers season opening win against the Atlanta Falcons, quarterback Aaron Rodgers publicly commented on the U.S.-Israel relationship, drawing concern from some local community members.
Appearing on fellow Steeler Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast, Rodgers suggested that the Trump administration prioritizes Israel’s interests over the United States.
“Anybody who even liked Trump or thought that things would change — this is a pro-Israel first administration,” Rodgers said. “When you dig into it — that’s the uni-party. It’s how many members of Congress are sponsored by AIPAC.”
Also on the podcast, Rodgers railed against the COVID vaccine, Anthony Fauci, the relationship between the Federal Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health.
The quarterback voiced his frustration with the Trump administration and the MAGA movement, as well.
“There is no MAGA movement,” he said. “There’s no Make America Great Again movement because the guy you elected hasn’t done any of his campaign promises.”
He continued, targeting topics like the Epstein files, the Affordable Care Act and his distrust of politics.
“If voting really mattered,” Rodgers said, “they wouldn’t let you do it.”
The comments were quickly picked up by news organizations across the country and abroad, including the Quds News Network, which bills itself as the “largest independent and comprehensive Palestinian youth electronic news network,” and Arab independent media satellite channel Al Mayadeen.
This isn’t Rodgers’ first brush with controversy.
In 2013, it was reported by CNN that Rodgers told Pamela Brown that the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School was a staged government event.
In 2024, he alleged that Jimmy Kimmel would appear in court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, offering no proof to back up his claim. It was an assertion that proved false.
Julie Paris, StandWithUs Mid-Atlantic regional director, condemned Rodgers’ comments about Israel.
“While debating foreign policy, government spending, and the impact of lobbying is entirely legitimate, there is no place for baseless accusations of disloyalty to the United States,” Paris posted on Facebook. “Many American citizens and political leaders support strong ties between the U.S. and Israel because they believe this relationship benefits the American people on many levels.”
She noted that Rodgers’ rhetoric echoes a history of conspiracy theories accusing Jews of controlling governments and being disloyal to their country of residence.
“This is deeply harmful, particularly at a time when antisemitic hatred and violence are on the rise,” she said. “In 2026, Jews were targeted in over 60% of all hate crimes motivated by religion, despite making up only around 2% of the U.S. population.”
The United States-Israel alliance, Paris said, should be debated on its merits, not through conspiracy theories or stereotypes, and urged Rodgers to educate himself before making similar statements in the future.
David Knoll, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh associate vice president of public affairs, said that Rodgers is entitled to his remarks but noted that “these remarks should be viewed in the context of a public figure who has repeatedly made controversial and unsupported assertions on a wide range of topics.”
The Chronicle reached out to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a comment but did not receive a response before press time. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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