Former President Donald Trump delivered a fiery speech during an October 7 memorial event commemorating Hamas’ slaughter of Israeli civilians during their surprise attack that ignited the current war in Gaza.
During the event, which took place at Trump National Doral in Florida, the former president vowed to “remove the Jew-haters” from power if he wins the upcoming election. He used the occasion to reaffirm his commitment to supporting the Jewish community in the United States.
“I will defend our American Jewish population. I will protect your communities, your schools, your places of worship, and your values,” Trump declared. He also promised to take strong action against those he deemed enemies of the Jewish people, stating, “We’re going to remove the Jew-haters who do nothing to help our country; they only want to destroy our country.”
The former president did not go into specifics on who the “Jew-haters” are or how he would remove them, but he made it clear that he believes antisemitism has become more prevalent in American society.
“The anti-Jewish hatred has returned even here in America, in our streets, our media, and our college campuses and within the ranks of the Democrat Party, in particular, not in the Republican Party,” he said.
Trump’s comment comes amid a resurgence of pro-Hamas demonstrations on college campuses and city streets. Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, anti-Israel activists have engaged in marches, camps, and other demonstrations featuring antisemitic rhetoric and calls for universities to cut ties with Israel. Trump referred to these individuals as “Jihadist sympathizers.”
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Throughout his speech, the former president also signaled that he would strengthen ties between the United States and Israel.
“The bond between the United States and Israel is strong and enduring… if and when I’m president of the United States, it will, once again, be stronger and closer than it ever was before,” he said.
While many in the Jewish community support Trump and his efforts to protect Israel, others have criticized him for his remarks regarding Jewish folks who vote Democrat.
“Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion,” he said in March, criticizing Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for lashing out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.”
The war in Gaza continues to raise concerns about the rise of antisemitism in the United States and other Western nations. In many cases, pro-Hamas activists have violently assaulted Jewish students and other citizens. Trump’s speech comes at a pivotal time as his campaign ramps up its outreach to Jewish voters who could represent a key voting bloc in the upcoming election.
