As a growing number of Democrats distance themselves from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) over Israel's war in Gaza, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has gone the other way, receiving donations from the group’s political action committee for the first time in his career. Federal Election Commission filings show Booker received $481,175 from AIPAC's PAC during the first and second quarters of 2025 combined, followed by an additional $226,628 in the third quarter, which was disclosed just yesterday.
This new influx of AIPAC money coincides with Booker's recent public defense of Israel, which diverge from the shifting approaches within his party. In an Oct. 14, 2025, appearance on the "I've Had It" podcast, Booker faced sharp questions about a photo he took with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the latter's July 2024 address to Congress. Co-host Jennifer Welch pressed Booker on whether he considered Netanyahu a war criminal, given the International Criminal Court's (ICC) pursuit of arrest warrants against him for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Booker refused to answer directly, instead criticizing the ICC for "singling out Israel" and suggesting that podcasters should focus more on other conflicts. He acknowledged "real problems" with Netanyahu's "outrageous" actions but emphasized the importance of dialogue, stating, "I'm not going to be outside of the room screaming."
