Trump Posts "#IStandWithBibi" After Backlash for Criticizing Netanyahu
/
On Friday, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social in support of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This may be due to the backlash he received from both sides of the political aisle after criticizing the Prime Minister in the midst of Israel’s greatest tragedy since the Holocaust.
On October 11, at a rally in West Palm Beach Florida, Trump told his audience he would stand with Israel and help defeat Hamas, but he did have a bad experience with the country’s ally. “I don’t think this has ever been told. They’ll say, ‘Oh, it’s classified information.’ Well, maybe it is, but I don’t think so.” After getting a little distracted with his legal troubles and handling of classified documents, Trump explained behind-the-scenes information regarding the leadup to Qasem Soleimani’s death. According to Trump, Israel helped the US track Soleimani, but Israel backed out of the strike the day before. “But I’ll never forget that Bibi Netanyahu let us down.”
The US was successful, but Trump lamented about the Prime Minister taking credit. “That didn’t make me feel too good.”
He also criticized Netanyahu for not being prepared. “When I see sometimes the intelligence, you talk about the intelligence, or you talk about some of the things that went wrong over the last week, they’ve got to straighten it out because they’re fighting potentially a very big force.”
On Fox News, Trump told Brian Kilmeade, “(Netanyahu) has been hurt very badly because of what’s happened here. He was not prepared. He was not prepared, and Israel was not prepared.”
Trump also criticized the Biden administration for saying they hope Hezbollah doesn’t attack from the North. Even though he knew the press wouldn’t like it, he called Hezbollah “very smart,” so they would obviously take that advice.
Ben Shapiro referred to Trump’s words as “bizarre.” The Daily Wire commentator and co-founder said, “There’s literally no other place that Hezbollah could attack from. They’re located in the north of Israel. That’s like suggesting Mexico would be smart if they attacked America from the south. Like, where else would they attack from?”
Influential Trump supporters have also been criticizing the Prime Minister. Charlie Kirk from Turning Point USA floated a theory that Netanyahu issued a standdown order, which led to over 1,200 Israelis killed, to gain political power. Jack Posobiec has also made references to BiBi betraying Trump. His statement was clarified on X (formerly known as Twitter). “A few months ago, Trump told me he would never forget that Netanyahu congratulated Biden even as the votes were still being counted.”
In reality, Netanyahu didn’t congratulate President Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory until days after the election, after major news organizations reported Biden had received enough electoral votes to win. Trump still went on to challenge the results, unsuccessfully.
Megyn Kelly also believed Trump’s poorly-timed criticism was due to Trump’s feud with Netanyahu. “The problem is, everything is about him.”
In an interview with Barak Ravid for his book that came out in 2021, he confirmed Trump’s anger toward the Prime Minister. “F--- him. I haven’t talked to him since.” He also said, “Bibi did not want to make peace. Never did.”
Netanyahu would later go on to say Trump made a “mistake” when he dined with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes back in November 2022. Both men have made antisemitic comments and sparked a huge controversy for the former president. Netanyahu told journalist Bari Weiss from the Free Press, “I condemned Kanye West's antisemitic statements. President Trump's decision to dine with this person I think is wrong and misplaced. He shouldn't do that. I think he made a mistake. I hope it's not repeated.” He also praised Trump for being a tremendous supporter of Israel and expressed gratitude for what Trump did while in the White House.
Questions about how Israel—known for its intelligence and security—could suffer such a catastrophic failure, are valid. But as far as the timing of Trump’s criticism and the motivation behind it, it is unappreciated by some in the Israeli government. Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said it is “shameful that a man like that, a former US president, abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens.”
Deputy White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates said, “Statements like this are dangerous and unhinged.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is challenging Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, told supporters in New Hampshire, “Now is not the time to be attacking our ally.”
It’s a hard sell for Trump’s critics to paint him as being anti-Israel, but his beef with Benjamin Netanyahu over the 2020 election is evident.
