Comedian Michael Rapaport has stated that his previously critical stance on former President Donald Trump has softened, attributing the shift to Trump's involvement in efforts to free Israeli hostages. Rapaport detailed this evolution in his perspective during an appearance on Jamie Kennedy's podcast, "Hate To Break It To Ya."
Rapaport explained that after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent abduction of hundreds of hostages, he began to believe that Trump offered the best chance for their release. "I knew that the only chance would be [Trump]," Rapaport said, referencing the complex geopolitical situation.
He elaborated that his interactions with hostage families and his firsthand observations in Israel, having visited the country nine times in the past two and a half years, have been instrumental in shaping his views. "The exposure and the enlightenment and the conversations I had with the hostage families, the reality that I saw, it’s worth it for me to not be disrespectful to him because I fought, begged, prayed, pleaded to get the hostages home by any means necessary," he stated.
For Rapaport, the potential return of the hostages and the protection of Israel's right to exist were paramount. He indicated that while he can still be critical of Trump, he no longer feels compelled to engage in public disparagement. "For me, it was enough to get the hostages home and protect Israel’s right to exist. Those two things were enough for me," he said.
Rapaport also acknowledged that his earlier criticisms of Trump may have stemmed from a less informed position. "I wasn’t as informed, plugged in, educated as I am about politics, world politics," he admitted, adding, "I think it’s great to admit when you were wrong, uninformed, misinformed and spoke out of turn."
Separately, Rapaport has announced plans to run for Mayor of New York City in 2029, expressing a desire to challenge incumbent Mayor Zohran Mamdani with a "New York City street fight mentality."