Trump says US Jews ‘don’t appreciate Israel the way they should’

Trump repeats his claim that US Jews ‘don’t appreciate Israel the way they should’ and evangelicals are more thankful for his Middle East policy

  • In remarks at the Republican Jewish Coalition leadership conference, Trump bragged that he was the ‘greatest friend Israel ever had in the White House’
  • He conflated American Jews for Israelis by saying Biden administration officials ‘don’t even listen to your leaders’
  • ‘Some people in the United States — Jewish people — don’t appreciate Israel the way they should,’ Trump said

Former President Trump said over the weekend that American Jews don’t appreciate Israel enough and should look to evangelical Christians who are more grateful for his Middle East policy. 

In virtual remarks at the Republican Jewish Coalition leadership conference, Trump bragged that he was the ‘greatest friend Israel ever had in the White House‘ and conflated American Jews for Israelis by saying Biden administration officials ‘don’t even listen to your leaders.’ 

‘Some people in the United States — Jewish people — don’t appreciate Israel the way they should,’ Trump said. ‘I’ll tell you who does appreciate Israel very much are the evangelicals, because evangelicals are on your side. Evangelical Christians, they’re really on your side. But I appreciate Israel, and it’s an honor to have, I think, done far more for Israel than any other president.’

Trump then said if he were president again he would expand the Abraham Accords and achieve blanket peace across the Middle East. He said that Biden ‘betrayed Israel and the Jewish community.’

Trump said over the weekend that American Jews don’t appreciate Israel enough and should look to evangelical Christians who are more grateful for his Middle East policy

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is a devout Jew, had a heavy hand in the deals.  

The Abraham Accords, the deal his administration brokered normalizing relations between Israel and four Middle Eastern countries, could be expanded to include ’10, 12, 14 [Arab countries], we would have had maybe all of them … we could have truly had peace in the Middle East.’ 

‘No President has done more for Israel than I have. Somewhat surprisingly, however, our wonderful Evangelicals are far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith, especially those living in the U.S,’ Trump said on his Truth Social app.

‘Those living in Israel, though, are a different story – Highest approval rating in the World, could easily be P.M.!’

Trump concluded: ‘U.S. Jews have to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel – Before it is too late!’

The statement drew much condemnation from Jewish groups. 

Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalems Old City on May 22, 2017

Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalems Old City on May 22, 2017

Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump listen to Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch (R) during a visit the Western Wall,

Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump listen to Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch (R) during a visit the Western Wall,

'Some people in the United States ¿ Jewish people ¿ don't appreciate Israel the way they should,' Trump said

‘Some people in the United States — Jewish people — don’t appreciate Israel the way they should,’ Trump said

American Jews have historically been a pro-Democrat voting bloc, a trend that did not change in the 2020 presidential race.

During his White House tenure, Trump had been a close ally of Israel’s then-conservative government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. He famously angered Palestinians by moving the Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.