Susan Collins

Collins has described Israel as the United States' closest ally in the Middle East and has supported continued American security assistance to Israel.

She served as a lead negotiator of the 2024 national-security supplemental, which included assistance for Israel and funding for Israeli missile-defense systems, including Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Iron Beam.

Shortly after the October 7 attack, Collins traveled to Israel as part of a bipartisan Senate delegation. During the visit, she expressed support for American assistance to Israel and said that Hamas had to be eliminated as a military threat.

On April 15, 2026, Collins voted against motions to discharge S.J. Res. 32 and S.J. Res. 138, which would have advanced resolutions blocking proposed military sales to Israel. Both discharge motions failed.

In March 2026, Collins said the United States could not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran, citing Iran's nuclear capabilities, ballistic missiles, and support for terrorist proxies. She voted against an Iran War Powers Resolution at that stage, explaining that the administration had briefed Congress and that passage during ongoing hostilities would send the wrong message to Iran and U.S. troops.

She opposed the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement because of concerns regarding inspections, sanctions relief, Iran's centrifuges and ballistic-missile program, and the expiration of restrictions contained in the agreement.

In June 2025, Collins supported the American strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, arguing that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose an unacceptable threat to Israel, the United States, and other American allies.

Collins introduced a bipartisan Senate resolution condemning Hamas and antisemitic violence committed in support of Hamas's ideology.

She has described Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism and identified Hamas and other Iran- backed groups as threats to Israel, American personnel, and regional stability.

Collins has unequivocally condemned Hamas's October 7 attack. On the second anniversary, she noted that Hamas terrorists murdered approximately 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages, including American citizens.

She called for the immediate release of the remaining hostages and said that Hamas must not retain control of Gaza.

Collins cosponsored the bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act. The legislation would establish a national coordinator to counter antisemitism, create an interagency task force, and require federal assessments of antisemitic violent extremism and online antisemitism.

She has called on political and community leaders to confront rising antisemitism and discussed the safety of Jewish Americans in remarks to the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

Collins joined a Senate letter requesting a hearing on campus antisemitism and the federal government's responsibility to protect Jewish students under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

At a separate Senate hearing, she questioned the Secretary of Education about discrimination complaints, fear among Jewish students, and the Department of Education's communications with universities.

Collins supports the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which provides security assistance to synagogues and other nonprofit institutions considered at risk of terrorism or targeted violence.

Collins and Senator Angus King announced federal security grants for Maine institutions including Beth Israel Congregation, Temple Beth El, and Temple Shalom Synagogue.

She also urged the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to assist Jewish community centers, schools, synagogues, and other institutions following threats directed at Jewish organizations.

Following allegations that employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency participated in the October 7 attack, Collins supported suspending American funding to UNRWA pending an investigation.

She said that funding should not resume unless Congress could be confident that UNRWA personnel and facilities were not supporting terrorism or violence against Israel.

Collins also led a bipartisan Senate letter criticizing the United Nations for what the senators described as an inadequate response to Hamas's sexual violence during the October 7 attack.

In May 2026, Collins joined a letter urging President Trump to work through the United Nations to fully dismantle UNRWA and eliminate the agency from the UN budget. The senators cited findings and allegations that some UNRWA employees had ties to Hamas and argued that future Gaza aid organizations should be free of terrorist ties and subject to transparency and accountability requirements.