Former President Trump told Jewish Republicans in Nevada that “Israel will be gone” if Vice President Harris wins the 2024 presidential election.
“I will work with you to ensure that Israel will be with us for thousands of years,” the former president said Thursday in a satellite address to the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual conference in Las Vegas.
“If she becomes president there will be no Israel…Israel will no longer exist.”
Trump in November sought to appeal to more Jewish voters while accusing the Biden-Harris administration of hindering Israel in its 11-month war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“If they win, there will be no Israel,” he said in a roughly 15-minute speech. “Remember, if they win, there will be no Israel. Forget about Israel, that's what will happen. So they have to get out on November 5th and vote for Trump, or I think it's going to be very, very bad.”
The Republican candidate again suggested Jewish voters who support Harris should “get their heads checked,” adding that the Biden-Harris administration has “treated them very badly.”
In March, Trump claimed Democrats “hate Israel” and that Jewish voters who support them hate their religion. He attacked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for criticizing Israel's handling of the ongoing war, saying the top Jewish Democrat has “become like the Palestinians.”
Harris' campaign fired back at her comments on Thursday, claiming that Trump is “insulting” Jewish Americans and would turn against Israel for personal gain.
“Donald Trump openly insults Jewish Americans, proudly dines with neo-Nazis and reportedly thinks Adolf Hitler did 'good things,'” Morgan Finkelstein, a spokesperson for the Harris-Waltz campaign, said in a statement.
“He has said that the only people he wants counting his money are 'little men in yarmulkes' and praised neo-Nazis who cry 'the Jews cannot replace us' as 'very fine people.' Donald Trump has made it clear that he would turn his back on Israel quickly if it served his own interests, and he has done so in the past.”
Finkelstein added that Harris is a “lifelong supporter” of Israel and has worked hard to ensure the security of the Jewish state.
“She has an unwavering commitment to Israel's security and will always defend Israel's right to self-defense,” Finkelstein continued. “She is also staunchly opposed to anti-Semitism at home and abroad, and will do the same as president.”
During his speech, the former president offered his condolences to the family of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American who was one of six hostages killed by Hamas last week. He initially appeared to refer to him as “Hirsh Goldman.”
“I pray that God will give comfort, healing and peace,” he said.
