Professor Mearsheimer: Israel is a 'stone around America's neck'

Renowned political scientist says US must act decisively to change regimes, but invasion of Iran would be a 'recipe for disaster'

Mar. 17, 2026 at 10:22am

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In a wide-ranging interview, Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago criticized the outsized influence of the pro-Israel lobby on US foreign policy, saying it has become a 'stone around America's neck.' He warned that while the US may want regime change in Iran, invading the country would be a 'recipe for disaster' due to its large size and population. Mearsheimer also said the US is being forced to withdraw military assets from East Asia due to its focus on the Middle East, which is undermining efforts to contain China.

Why it matters

Mearsheimer's comments reflect growing concerns among foreign policy experts about the degree to which the pro-Israel lobby in the US shapes Washington's strategic priorities, often at the expense of broader American interests. His warnings about the risks of military action against Iran also come as tensions between the US and Iran remain high.

The details

Mearsheimer argued that the US cannot simply invade countries to achieve regime change, as it did in Iraq, because it would be a 'recipe for disaster' in the case of Iran due to the country's large size and population. He expressed hope that President Trump is 'smart enough to understand' that sending troops to Iran would backfire. The professor also said the US has been forced to withdraw military assets from East Asia, undermining efforts to contain China, because of its focus on the Middle East and Israel.

  • Mearsheimer made these comments in a recent interview.

The players

John Mearsheimer

A professor of political science at the University of Chicago and a renowned expert on international relations and US foreign policy.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who Mearsheimer hopes is 'smart enough' not to invade Iran.

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What they’re saying

“If you want regime change, you must act decisively. That's exactly what we did in Iraq: we had to invade the country to overthrow the regime. If you want regime change in Iran, you will have to invade Iran. But that's not going to happen. The country is too big, the population is too big. Although we've been down this path before, it doesn't work very well.”

— John Mearsheimer, Professor

“It just shows how powerful the [Israeli] lobby is.”

— John Mearsheimer, Professor

The takeaway

Mearsheimer's comments highlight the growing debate over the role of the pro-Israel lobby in shaping US foreign policy, and the risks of military adventurism in the Middle East. His warnings about the dangers of invading Iran echo concerns from other experts that such action could lead to a disastrous quagmire for the US.