WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) today released the following statement after the White House finally confirmed nearly four days later that the United States still recognizes Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel and intends to maintain the American Embassy in the city:
“It took far longer than it should have, but the White House has finally acknowledged what the American people and our ally Israel needed to hear—Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish State and the American Embassy will remain there. This acknowledgement, albeit delayed, cements one of President Donald J. Trump’s legacies, ensures U.S. law will continue to be implemented, and paves the way to build on the Abraham Accords.”
The White House’s recognition today comes after Hagerty sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to immediately and publicly clarify whether the United States will keep the American Embassy in Israel’s capital city of Jerusalem. On Friday, during a press briefing, the White House refused to answer whether it would follow U.S. law—the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995—and maintain the embassy in its current location, creating a discrepancy between two branches of our government after the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the Hagerty-Inhofe Amendment on Thursday night to ensure the U.S. Embassy remains in Jerusalem, 97 to 3.