Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to award the Israel Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump is being linked by American media to a series of major policy decisions during Trump’s presidency that reshaped Israel’s diplomatic standing and regional security posture.

While critics continue to debate the broader implications of the move, U.S. news outlets have consistently cited several landmark actions taken by Trump that significantly strengthened Israel’s political and strategic position.

Among the most consequential decisions, widely reported by CNN, Reuters, and the Associated Press, was the 2018 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv. The move broke decades of U.S. foreign policy precedent, drew international criticism, and was welcomed by Israeli leaders as a historic affirmation of sovereignty claims.

Trump also signed a proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory captured from Syria in 1967. Coverage by The New York Times and NBC News noted that the decision bolstered Israel’s strategic position in the north and marked another diplomatic victory for Netanyahu.

American media further credited Trump for brokering the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. The agreements were framed by the White House and major U.S. outlets as a significant shift in Middle East diplomacy, reducing Israel’s regional isolation and opening avenues for economic, security, and cultural cooperation.

Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal was also cited as a defining policy move. U.S. coverage highlighted Trump’s argument that the agreement was fundamentally flawed, while noting that his tougher stance aligned closely with Israel’s security concerns and was openly supported by Netanyahu.

Throughout Trump’s presidency, American reporting also underscored Washington’s consistent diplomatic backing of Israel at the United Nations, where the U.S. repeatedly blocked or opposed resolutions it viewed as biased against the Jewish state.

These actions formed the basis of Netanyahu’s praise—repeated in both U.S. and Israeli media—describing Trump as “Israel’s greatest friend” in the White House.

Traditionally reserved for cultural, scientific, and national contributions, the Israel Prize has rarely intersected so directly with geopolitics. Netanyahu’s unprecedented decision to bestow the honor on a former U.S. president underscores how Israel’s leadership views Trump’s policies as having permanently altered the country’s international position.