United States President Donald Trump became the first non-Israeli to receive Israel's top civilian honor, the Israel Prize, although he did not attend the ceremony. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the decision after meeting Trump in Florida in December, calling it a break from longstanding tradition and praising Trump's contributions to Israel and the Jewish people.

The award was presented during Israel's Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem. While Trump had indicated he might participate, and was at one point expected to deliver a recorded address, he ultimately did not appear. A video shown at the event highlighted his past meetings with Netanyahu, his address to Israel's parliament, and his role in brokering normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations.

The recognition comes amid shifting political circumstances. In February, Trump joined Netanyahu in launching a war against Iran, a move that has faced criticism within the United States and contributed to rising anti-Israel sentiment among some of his supporters.

The ceremony also featured Argentina's President Javier Milei, who became the first foreign leader to light a torch during the Independence Day celebrations. Previously, only one non-Israeli, conductor Zubin Mehta, had received a special noncitizen designation tied to the prize rather than the standard award.