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Edited by: TJVNews.com
At a pair of speeches on Thursday night, former President Donald Trump made sweeping declarations regarding immigration policies and the future of U.S. security, particularly in the context of foreign jihad sympathizers and Hamas supporters. Speaking to two distinct Jewish audiences in Washington, D.C., Trump pledged to restore his controversial 2017 travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries, a policy that was widely condemned at the time by numerous Jewish organizations. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), Trump stated, “I will deport the foreign jihad sympathizers and Hamas supporters from our midst.” He further vowed to “ban refugee resettlement from terror-infested areas like the Gaza Strip,” which he described as one of the “infested countries” that should be excluded from U.S. entry.
Excited crowd welcomes Trump at IAC conference, woman unfurled a banner with “fight fight fight” pic.twitter.com/f2i049jHKf
— Laura Kelly (@HelloLauraKelly) September 20, 2024
Trump’s remarks, delivered at the Israeli American Council (IAC) conference and an earlier event focused on combating antisemitism, were met with significant reactions from various segments of the Jewish community. The IAC event, sponsored by Miriam Adelson, one of Trump’s most significant financial backers, drew a packed audience of supporters, including many Orthodox Jews and donors who vocally supported him.
As the JTA reported, during Trump’s speech, a new group called American-Israelis for Kamala was launched. This initiative, according to its organizers, seeks to convey why Israeli Americans—many of whom are closely engaged with Israeli affairs—are motivated to support Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election. In a statement, the group emphasized that their love for Israel shapes their political choices, even if they differ from the positions Trump advocates. Many of the group’s organizers are linked with UnXeptable, an organization that protests the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding further nuance to the political divisions within the Jewish community.
Throughout his speeches, Trump returned to a familiar theme: the frustration over the low level of support he receives from Jewish voters in the U.S. As the JTA noted, Trump repeatedly expressed his disbelief and dissatisfaction with polling that suggests he may garner only 40% of the Jewish vote. “It’s craziness to say, I’m at 40%,” Trump said, arguing that the figure is “insulting” both to the United States and to Israel. According to the JTA, Trump described American Jews who lean towards the Democratic Party as “mentally ill” and has suggested they should “have their head examined.” Thursday’s remarks followed this pattern but went further, with Trump claiming that the Jewish electorate could be pivotal in his potential defeat.
These remarks represent a clear escalation from his previous statements, which accused Jewish Democrats of insufficient loyalty to Israel. Now, Trump is framing their political choices as a threat to broader American interests, a notable shift highlighted by the JTA.
Trump’s speech did not only focus on Jewish voting patterns. As reported by the JTA, he said that Israel’s security would be imperiled if he were not re-elected. “Israel will be destroyed,” he warned, implying that his administration was a bulwark against existential threats to the Jewish state. He presented this c view as a contrast to the policies of a Democratic administration, which he argued would be led by figures such as Vice President Kamala Harris, who he mentioned by name during the speech. Trump’s mention of Harris was part of a broader effort to frame the election as a choice between his policies, which are in the best interest of both Israel and American Jews, and those of the Democratic Party, which is harmful to Jewish and American interests alike.
Former hostage Andre Kozlov welcomed on stage by former President Trump at the IAC @israeliamerican conference. pic.twitter.com/JwiTc6Gxtq
— Emily Schrader – אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) September 20, 2024
The JTA also reported that Trump told the gathering, “I will put it to you very simply and gently. I really haven’t been treated right, but you haven’t been treated right, because you’re putting yourself in great danger, and the United States hasn’t been treated right. His remarks correctly implied that American Jews who failed to support him were jeopardizing their own safety, as well as the security of the broader U.S.-Israel relationship. The crowd, which included a number of high-profile Jewish donors and Orthodox community leaders, frequently responded with thunderous applause, illustrating the deep loyalty that many Jewish supporters of Trump have displayed,
Unsurprisingly, Trump’s statements sparked a backlash from Jewish activists and Democratic leaders. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that Halie Soifer, the head of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, reiterated a familiar criticism: that Trump’s rhetoric regarding Jewish voters is anti-Semitic. Soifer condemned Trump’s comments for promoting dangerous stereotypes and dual loyalty tropes. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs, a liberal-leaning public affairs group, also denounced Trump’s speech, as it did in August when Trump made similar remarks. The group stated, “Trump continues to label Jews who don’t support him as disloyal and crazy, to play into dangerous dual loyalty tropes, and to blame Jews for a potential electoral loss,” according to the JTA.
Get ready to be inspired at the IAC National Summit 2024! Our lineup of speakers includes leaders, activists, and influencers who will share their insights and experiences.
Register Now: https://t.co/7CB2hpbDbI#IACSummit2024 @DoviFrances1 pic.twitter.com/1DtK56I7MW— IAC (@israeliamerican) September 16, 2024
Trump’s speech did not only focus on Jewish voting patterns. As reported by the JTA, he said that Israel’s security would be imperiled if he were not re-elected. “Israel will be destroyed,” he warned, implying that his administration was a bulwark against existential threats to the Jewish state. He presented this view as a contrast to the policies of a Democratic administration, which he argued would be led by figures such as Vice President Kamala Harris, who he mentioned by name during the speech. Trump’s mention of Harris was part of a broader effort to frame the election as a choice between his policies, which are in the best interest of both Israel and American Jews, and those of the Democratic Party, which is harmful to Jewish and American interests alike.
“I will put it to you very simply and gently. I really haven’t been treated right, but you haven’t been treated right, because you’re putting yourself in great danger, and the United States hasn’t been treated right,” Trump said. His remarks correctly implied that American Jews who failed to support him were jeopardizing their own safety, as well as the security of the broader U.S.-Israel relationship. The crowd, which included a number of high-profile Jewish donors and Orthodox community leaders, frequently responded with thunderous applause, illustrating the deep loyalty that many Jewish supporters of Trump have displayed.
Here’s a snippet from President Trump’s talk tonight at IAC Summit pic.twitter.com/gz6YH1RqQt
— SiaAyrom (@siaayrom) September 20, 2024
Interestingly, Trump’s remarks regarding Jewish voters and their political preferences has persisted despite polling that shows him faring poorly among this demographic. The JTA pointed out that in past elections, Trump received only a small fraction of the Jewish vote—24% in 2016 and 30% in 2020. Nevertheless, Trump claimed during Thursday’s speech that he had seen a recent poll suggesting he could win as much as 40% of the Jewish vote in the upcoming election. Even with this theoretical increase, Trump expressed frustration, remarking that this still meant 60% of Jewish voters would likely cast their ballots for Democratic candidates. “The Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss if I’m at 40%,” Trump declared.
According to the JTA, Trump had also planned to visit a kosher restaurant in a Hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn earlier in the day, but that stop was canceled due to the unexpected passing of the restaurant’s owner.
