Israeli-American billionaire Miriam Adelson was seen in the visitors’ gallery of the Knesset plenum for President Donald Trump’s address on Monday. She was accompanied by her son, Matan Adelson, and Likud MK Boaz Bismuth, who previously served as editor-in-chief of the Adelson family–owned daily, Israel Hayom.
Trump’s Jerusalem appearance capped a day of high-stakes diplomacy tied to the ceasefire-and-hostage framework he is promoting. The president’s speech to the Knesset followed his arrival in Israel earlier in the day.
Adelson’s presence underscored her reported behind-the-scenes role in the hostage saga. Over recent months, she has been credited in Israeli media and by some hostage advocates with urging Trump to lean in on a deal and keep the issue moving with mediators.
Adelson’s influence on Trump goes back to his 2016 presidential campaign, when she and her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, donated more than $100 million. The Adelsons played a crucial role in crafting Trump’s pro-Israel protocols, such as recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights and moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
A birthday present?
The appearance came three days after Adelson’s 80th birthday on October 10. The timing drew notice in the chamber and on social media, where some supporters suggested the moment doubled as an informal “birthday present” for one of Trump’s largest donors.
Bismuth, now a Likud lawmaker and chair of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, helmed Israel Hayom from 2017 to 2022 before entering politics, highlighting the longstanding ties among the Adelson media network, Likud circles, and Trump’s camp.
Matan Adelson has, in recent years, taken on a higher public profile, including as the majority owner of Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club.