Mike Evans, a prominent evangelical leader and close ally of both Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned Israel that it must conclude the ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon by the time Trump returns to office in January 2025. Speaking to The Times of Israel from his Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, Evans emphasized that the “window is open” until January 20th, when Trump is set to be inaugurated, and cautioned that Trump does not want to inherit Middle East conflicts during his presidency.

“You don’t want to put Donald Trump into a position to have to defend a Middle East war,” Evans stated, explaining that Trump has no desire to be a wartime president. He urged Israel to act swiftly, recognizing that the window for resolution is closing.

Evans also dismissed concerns about the influence of the Republican Party’s isolationist wing, represented by figures like Tucker Carlson and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, suggesting that Trump would not embrace their ideology in his second term.

As one of the key figures in securing evangelical support for Trump in 2016, Evans reiterated the importance of continuing U.S. backing for Israel, especially after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He also noted the impact of his own billboards across Israel calling on Trump to “Make Israel Great Again,” saying they serve as a direct message to the former president.