Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) announced last week that he had been endorsed by the anti-Israel group TrackAIPAC, which has faced widespread accusations of antisemitism, after he became the first politician or candidate to sign a new “pledge” promulgated by the group.

TrackAIPAC has garnered ongoing accusations of antisemitism for its targeting of individual Jewish donors with, in some cases, distant or long-ago ties to pro-Israel organizations, fueling accusations that the group aims to broadly stigmatize Jewish political participation. Its inconsistent methodology and practices for determining which politicians it labels as “pro-Israel” have also generated criticism. 

The group faced further scrutiny for endorsing antisemitic Texas Democratic candidate Maureen Galindo, though it belatedly revoked its endorsement after her antisemitic stances gained widespread national attention.

The “PEACE Pledge” requires signatories to reject any support from AIPAC, Democratic Majority for Israel, Republican Jewish Coalition, Christians United for Israel “or similar organizations and large donor networks promoting unconditional support for Israel” and to “reject spending and funds routed by groups like AIPAC and their allies through intermediary organizations or coordinated donor activity.”

The pledge is “pretty common sense. It means that we shouldn’t be sending our tax dollar money for foreign wars overseas. We should be spending it here at home,” Khanna said in a video before signing it. “It says that we shouldn’t be taking money from AIPAC or all of its affiliate PACs or bundled money from those organizations, and that we have to recognize the genocide that took place in Gaza.”

“I am proud to be the first Democrat to take this pledge to reject money from AIPAC and affiliated groups, recognize the genocide in Gaza and oppose aid to Israel and military sales that kill civilians,” he added.

Khanna has recently increased his national profile through vocal criticism of Israel, ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run. He joins Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) as the third potential 2028 presidential candidate endorsed by TrackAIPAC, which has faced persistent accusations of antisemitism.

TrackAIPAC has in some cases previously labeled J Street support as verboten pro-Israel funding, as well as targeted individual donors who have previously had ties to pro-Israel groups, even if their donations are not given in connection to those groups.

But a Khanna campaign spokesperson said that the pledge does not require Khanna to reject support from J Street or from individual pro-Israel donors.

“Ro believes strongly in the political participation of the Jewish American community. He is proud to be endorsed by J Street and engages with many synagogues and leaders, including those who may not share all his views,” the spokesperson said.

The pledge also demands that signatories recognize the war in Gaza as a genocide and support legislation to that effect; oppose any military aid to “any country whose security forces are committing gross violations of human rights, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, genocide”; and oppose sanctions on the International Criminal Court, among other measures.

It appears to demand that signatories not support anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions legislation, as well as legislation addressing anti-Zionism as a manifestation of antisemitism: “I pledge that I will oppose all measures to restrict protected First Amendment speech and assembly, including the exercise of longstanding economic tools of expression, including by opposing measures that aim to limit these freedoms through the conflation of criticism of a foreign country with any form of bigotry.”

“The pledge does not require support for BDS and Ro has not supported it. It says that you cannot criminalize BDS, which has always been Ro’s position as a supporter of the First Amendment,” the Khanna spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also noted that Khanna “believes in dialogue and engagement to bring peace,” and noted that he recently met with leaders from the Bay Area Jewish Coalition — who have described Khanna as actively hostile to and endangering the Jewish community — as well as the local Jewish Community Relations Council and Jewish federation.

The spokesperson said he has also met with AIPAC members. And, the spokesperson noted, Khanna recently scored a decisive primary victory. Khanna’s challenger had sought to cultivate support among Jewish voters.

Tali Klima, a spokesperson for the Bay Area Jewish Coalition, said in a statement following the initial publication of this story that the group “reluctantly” met with Khanna following the recent primary, but had asked his office not to publicize the meeting.

“Despite assurances, Khanna has once again chosen to leverage a private meeting for his agenda and to insinuate that he is open to dialogue and inclusion of our perspectives. We are disappointed but not surprised by his team’s actions,” Klima said.

Klima said that during the meeting, her group and other Jewish leaders “reiterated how his rhetoric and political agenda hurt our community. Indeed, we gave him examples of recent antisemitic attacks against children right in his district.”

“Although he promised to ‘tone down’ his rhetoric, he has since proceeded with business as usual, for example, by signing the ridiculous anti-AIPAC pledge,” Klima continued. “We will not accept his attempts to excuse vile anti-Israel propaganda that fuels prejudice, harassment and assaults against us.”