Former President Trump criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday for suggesting an election to replace Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump believes Schumer's comments reflect the Democratic Party's poor approach towards Israel.
Schumer, the most senior Jewish politician in the country and a strong supporter of Israel, called for new elections in Israel in an address on Thursday. Schumer said Netanyahu has 'lost his way' and has been 'too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows.'
Fox News “MediaBuzz” host Howard Kurtz asked Trump on Sunday whether calling for new elections is the U.S. “telling an ally how to run its government?”
“One hundred percent. There’s no question about it,” Trump said. “The Democrats are very bad for Israel. Israel sticks with them. I guess Israel is loyal, maybe to a fault, because they stick with these guys. Biden is so bad for Israel.”
Netanyahu hit back at Schumer earlier Sunday, calling his floor speech “totally inappropriate” and comparing it to political meddling. earlier Sunday, calling his floor speech “totally inappropriate” and comparing it to political meddling.
“We’re not a banana republic,” Netanyahu said, adding that he remains popular within Israel. “I think the only government that we should be working on to bring down now is the terrorist tyranny in Gaza.”
Democrats, generally supportive of Israel, have stepped up criticism of the country in recent weeks as the Israel-Hamas war continues and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza becomes more dire. While Schumer’s statement Thursday is some of the strongest words against Netanyahu’s government, President Biden has also said that Israel’s offensive has “gone too far.”
Trump downplayed those concerns, citing the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that sparked the war, while claiming that the policy turn is in reaction to protests and means Biden has “dumped Israel.”
“[Biden] looks at, ‘Where do I get more votes?’ and I guess he’s seeing, you know, the Palestinians, and he’s seeing the marches, and they are big,” Trump said. “Then he says, ‘I want to go that way instead of Israel.’ I don’t know how Israel stays with these two people. I just don’t know.”
“But he obviously said, ‘I see a lot of people protesting out there, and they happen to be Palestinians or wherever from the Middle East,’” he continued. “And he was probably shocked to see it, and all of a sudden he dumped Israel. That’s what he’s doing.”
The Hill has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.
