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New Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter makes first trip to Capitol Hill

Leiter’s visit, just days into his role in Washington, included meetings with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle

Courtesy of the office of Sen. Ted Cruz

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter meets with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on January 29, 2025

Yechiel Leiter, the new Israeli ambassador to the United States who began his term in Washington last week, made his first trip as ambassador to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, a source familiar with the situation said.

The trip included meetings with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, the source said. One of Leiter’s meetings was with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). Leiter was spotted by Jewish Insider on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol. 

Another one of Leiter’s early stops in Washington was the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Monday, where he gave a speech marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

“In a post-October 7th world, it is evident that truly remembering the Holocaust means fighting those who would do it again if they could: from the mullahs of Teheran and their axis of evil to the knaves across college campuses chanting ‘from the river to the sea,’” he said in a statement about that visit. “This is our mission at the Embassy — we invite you to join our efforts.”

In his first interview in the role, the Scranton, Pa.-born Leiter said that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia is “closer than ever.” He said that eliminating Iran’s nuclear program would be “changing the world.”

He indicated that he supports President Donald Trump’s call for Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians from Gaza, which Leiter framed as a temporary situation. He also praised Trump for “creative practicality” and “common sense” on a range of global issues.

In an introductory video on social media, Leiter said Israel is the “outpost of American values and American interests in the Middle East,” a shared connection that he said “is only going to deepen and become richer” in the “Trumpian era.” “We are improving humanity together,” he said.

He also spoke about the death of his son, who was killed fighting Hamas in Gaza in the ongoing war.

“He knew what he was fighting for. It’s important for us that the world understands what he was fighting for, because this is a battle of good against evil,” Leiter said. “Israel stands at the forefront of that battle and we’re saying, ‘Yes, there is such a thing as evil, and we’re going to fight it.’”

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