Vote for me or Israel will be annihilated, Trump says in pitch to Republican Jews
By: timesofisrael
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
If US Vice President Kamala Harris wins the White House, Israel will cease to exist, former president Donald Trump told a gathering of Republican Jews on Thursday.
"I will work with you to make sure Israel is with us for thousands of years," the Republican nominee said in a satellite address to the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual conference in Las Vegas. "You're not going to have an Israel if she becomes president… Israel will no longer exist."
The warning marked an intensification of Trump's campaign to lure Jewish voters, as he continued to express frustration that they aren't flocking to him in larger numbers due to his Mideast policy.
"I don't understand how anybody can support them — and I say it constantly — if you had them to support and you were Jewish, you have to have your head examined," Trump told the RJC crowd, referring to his Democratic rivals. "They've been very bad to you."
"I can say honestly that we got 25 percent of the vote, 26 percent after four years after I've done more for Israel than anyone. This year we will probably be around a 50% mark," Trump said. The most recent polling of American Jews was done in June, before US President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, but it still put support for Trump at 24%.
Reprising his oft-criticized habit of conflating US Jews with Israelis, he told the crowd of Americans, "Right now, what you are going through is horrible that you have to go through that, with all the death, destruction and waste and ruining a civilization," he said, without clarifying. The crowd did not appear to mind, cheering Trump enthusiastically throughout.
"You'll never survive if they get in, and our country America will never survive if they get in," he said, apparently trafficking in a dual loyalty trope that he has used in the past.
He claimed Jews felt safe in public while he was in office, ignoring a documented spike in antisemitic incidents during his presidency.
"If Kamala Harris wins, terrorist armies will wage an unceasing war to drive Jews out of the Holy Land," he claimed.
Harris hits back
Harris's presidential campaign hit back at the former president on Thursday evening.
"Donald Trump openly demeans Jewish Americans, proudly dined with a neo-Nazi and reportedly thinks Adolf Hitler 'did some good things.' He has said the only people he wants counting his money are 'short guys wearing yarmulkes,' and praised neo-Nazis who chanted 'Jews will not replace us' as 'very fine people,'" said Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein.
"Donald Trump has made it obvious he would turn on Israel in a moment if it suited his personal interests; and, in fact, he has done so in the past," she continued.
"Meanwhile, the vice president has been incredibly clear: she has been a lifelong supporter of the State of Israel as a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people. She has an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel and will always stand up for its right to defend itself. She also stands steadfastly against antisemitism both at home and abroad and will do the same as president," Finkelstein added.
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Insane or just a disgusting liar ?
He's not wrong.
When Hamas kills Americans Biden/Harris attack and pressure Israel.
Ridiculous lie. And you know it.
Add Israel to the list of things that will no longer exist according to Trump, right below Pennsylvania’s name.
Trump said Jews who support Harris have to have their heads examined.
I guarantee after that remark any support he may have had among Jewish voters just shrank drastically.