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World Jewish leader: ‘Trump is not a sucker’

Sylvan Adams wonders aloud at JNS Policy Conference if U.S. deal with Iran “is just a massive head-fake.”

Sylvan Adams, president of the World Jewish Congress Israel Region, speaks about the family of Ran Gvili during the WJC 90th anniversary gala in Geneva, saying Gvili’s memory “is now forever part of the story of Jewish courage and resilience,” May 11, 2026. Photo by Shahar Azran/WJC.
Sylvan Adams, president of the World Jewish Congress Israel Region, addresses the WJC 90th anniversary gala in Geneva, May 11, 2026. Photo by Shahar Azran/WJC.

U.S President Donald Trump “is not a sucker,” and will work to defeat the Iranian regime after the midterm elections in November, the president of the World Jewish Congress’s Israel office said on Sunday.

The prominent Jewish leader spoke as the U.S. began negotiating with Iran on an agreement to end the war following last week’s signing of a preliminary framework deal and amid deep consternation in Israel over that deal.

“Despite the Memorandum of Understanding, I still trust the president,” Sylvan Adams told the JNS International Policy Summit underway in Jerusalem. “He didn’t suddenly lose his wisdom and courage to a group of Iranian pipsqueaks.”

The Canadian-Israel entrepreneur and philanthropist argued that Trump is “temporarily taking his foot off the gas pedal, and will coast in neutral for the next four months,” in order to bring down the price of oil and get past the US midterms, after which he will have a free hand during his final two years of office to defeat the Iranian regime with economic measures.

“He doesn’t even have to go back to war. He can simply vigorously prosecute ‘Operation Economic Fury,’ while having the formidable U.S. Navy and other U.S. military assets escort commercial ships through Hormuz, hopefully with the help of NATO allies,” Adams said.

“To borrow and slightly corrupt Neil Armstrong’s famous moon landing declaration: The MoU is one small step backward, in order to take a giant leap forward for the good of mankind.”

Etgar Lefkovits, an award-winning international journalist, is an Israel correspondent and a feature news writer for JNS. A native of Chicago, he has two decades of experience in journalism, having served as Jerusalem correspondent in one of the world’s most demanding positions. He is currently based in Tel Aviv.
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