During a speech and radio appearance Wednesday (Oct. 11), former president and current GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump called leaders of the Hezbollah terrorist organization “very smart” and criticized Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the Israeli prime minister “was not prepared” and previously “let us down.”
Trump, speaking to supporters in Florida and then on “The Brian Kilmeade Show,” was addressing the Oct. 7 surprise attack against Israel by Hamas, which led to Israel declaring war. A range of people quickly condemned Trump for apparently praising terrorists while criticizing Israel, America’s ally.
Repulsive beyond words. https://t.co/5wcmCuiQIF
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) October 12, 2023
Hamas and Hezbollah are separate organizations but have similar goals. Hamas operates in Gaza, to Israel’s southwest, near Egypt; Hezbollah operates north of Israel, in Lebanon.
‘Hezbollah Is Very Smart,’ Donald Trump Says
During his Florida speech, Trump referred to “a bad experience with Israel as president,” when America planned to assassinate Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. Israel reacted to that 2020 killing with “muted satisfaction,” apparently fearing retaliation.
But according to Trump, “Bibi Netanyahu let us down. That was a very terrible thing…But we did the job ourself. And it was absolute precision, magnificent, beautiful job. And then Bibi tried to take credit for it. That didn’t make me feel too good.”
Trump added that Israel needs to “straighten [its intelligence] out” and “strengthen themselves up” because their opponents, supported by Iran, are “vicious and smart.” The former president also referred to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as a “jerk.”
Speaking to Brian Kilmeade on Fox News Radio, Trump said Netanyahu “has been hurt very badly” by the Hamas attack and “was not prepared.” Trump also said the violence wouldn’t have happened if he were in office.
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said of the comments, “Smart does not equal good.” He indicated the former president was “clearly pointing out how incompetent Biden and his administration were by telegraphing to the terrorists an area that is susceptible to an attack.”
Trump’s Comments Called ‘Shameful’ & ‘Repulsive’
Shlomo Karhi, Israel’s communications minister, responded by saying it’s “shameful that a man like that, a former U.S. president, abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens.” He added, “We don’t have to bother with [Trump] and the nonsense he spouts.”
The White House released a statement calling Trump’s comments “dangerous and unhinged.” Spokesman Andrew Bates said, “This is a time for all of us to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel against ‘unadulterated evil.’ That’s what [President Biden] is doing as commander in chief.”
Dr. Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, shared a clip of Trump’s Florida speech, writing “Repulsive beyond words.” Some commenters pushed back against Moore, however, saying he took a “craftily edited clip” out of context.
