by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – In a sharp departure from past U.S. administrations, the U.S. Embassy in Israel will boycott this year’s Tel Aviv Pride parade and will not participate in any Pride Month activities, citing the “priorities of the Trump administration,” according to a report by Haaretz.
A letter sent from the embassy to Israel’s Foreign Ministry in February confirmed the decision, referring only to the “LGB community” and omitting the “TQ+,” in line with a broader U.S. policy shift away from transgender recognition. The move follows a directive from the State Department instructing embassies worldwide to abstain from official cooperation with Pride events.
Tel Aviv’s Pride Parade, considered the largest in the Middle East, will take place Friday for the first time since the October 7 Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages, sparking the ongoing war in Gaza. Last year’s parade was replaced by a modest rally focused on the war’s impact and contributions of LGBTQ soldiers.
The embassy’s new stance reflects the values of recently appointed U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, a devout Evangelical Christian and vocal opponent of LGBTQ policies. In 2015, Huckabee likened the push for same-sex marriage acceptance to asking Jewish delis to serve bacon-wrapped shrimp.
Meanwhile, transgender Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner arrived in Israel and will serve as the parade’s guest of honor. At a press conference Wednesday, Jenner praised Israel’s openness and expressed a desire to help shift international perceptions of the Jewish state’s LGBTQ acceptance. “We can change people’s minds,” Jenner said. “That’s why I’m here to do my little part.”
Back in Washington, the Trump administration’s cultural realignment continues. The White House confirmed at the beginning of the month that June will not be recognized as “Pride Month,” opting instead to back a congressional resolution to designate it as “Family Month.” Introduced by Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.), the resolution emphasizes the biblical model of the nuclear family and denounces what it calls the “radical LGBTQ agenda.”
“The American family is under relentless attack,” said Miller, who called for a national return to faith, traditional marriage, and moral clarity. The resolution is supported by a growing coalition of conservative groups including the Family Research Council and Moms for America.
Since January, President Trump has signed executive orders barring gender-transition procedures on minors, banning transgender athletes from female sports, and enforcing new standards in schools to remove “sexualized” material. These moves have drawn sharp criticism from progressive activists while garnering praise from many religious and parental rights groups.
As America’s cultural divide deepens, the Trump administration is actively working to reclaim ground once dominated by the progressive left — leveraging both domestic policy and international diplomacy to champion traditional values. Tel Aviv has now emerged as a prominent battleground in that broader effort.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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