Yaron Lischinsky, a Christian staffer at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., was gunned down alongside his soon-to-be fiancée, Sarah Milgrim, during a pro-Israel event on Wednesday night. The shooter reportedly yelled “Free Palestine” before opening fire outside the Capital Jewish Museum. Authorities are investigating the murders as a targeted terrorist act driven by antisemitic hate.
Lischinsky was known for his vocal support of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, which he credited with restoring peace through strength and confronting rising global threats. In a widely shared 2020 op-ed, he defended the Trump administration’s record, praising its hardline stance on Iran, decisive action against ISIS, and the rejection of appeasement that he believed had defined prior administrations.
He highlighted Trump’s China policy, exit from the Iran nuclear deal, and the Abraham Accords as pivotal accomplishments. “Under the Trump administration, the Iranian regime faced four years of brutal economic sanctions,” he wrote, crediting the approach with choking Iran’s terror financing capabilities.
Lischinsky also commended President Trump for relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and achieving peace deals without endless war. “While his contributions to the various peace treaties in the Middle East are unlikely to be recognized by the good people in Stockholm,” he wrote, “the people of the Middle East will remember for a long time.”
In his final days, Lischinsky expressed gratitude to President Trump for securing the release of hostages from Hamas and warned against U.N. officials spreading Hamas propaganda. Just hours before his death, he reposted a message condemning international institutions for their bias against Israel.
President Trump condemned the attack, saying, “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA… It must end, NOW!”
Lischinsky’s death has sent shockwaves through both diplomatic and faith communities, with many mourning not only a life cut short but a powerful voice for U.S.-Israel relations. Friends and colleagues described him as a principled, fearless advocate who believed in peace grounded in strength and moral clarity. His unwavering admiration for President Trump’s approach to global security reflected a deep conviction that American leadership, when bold and unapologetic, could deter evil and foster real progress in the Middle East.
