Mort Klein, president of Zionists of America (ZOA), said last week he felt "deep pain" over President Donald Trump's omission of the plight of Jews in his proclamation recalling the Holocaust in World War II.
His strong comment was followed by one from Republican Jewish Coalition spokesman Fred Brown, calling "an unfortunate omission" Trump's failure to single out Jews as victims in his Holocaust Remembrance Day statement.
The White House, however, is standing by the president's words, as Press Secretary Sean Spicer made clear to Newsmax on Monday afternoon.
In defending Trump's words on Holocaust Remembrance, the president's top spokesman also contrasted the administration's record on Israel with controversial positions taken by administration's record.
"He's aware of what people have been saying," Spicer told us, in response to criticism of the statement by Klein and others, "but I think by and large he's been praised for it. I think the president recognized the tremendous loss of life in the Holocaust."
Turning to the topic of today's Israel, Spicer said "there's been no better friend of Israel than Donald Trump in terms of defending Israel and protecting Israel. You look at what Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu has been talking about. He welcomes this administration. He appreciates the friendship and respect this Administration has shown to the Jewish people.
Spicer went on to say the president "went out of his way to recognize the Holocaust — the suffering that went through it, the people that were affected by it and the loss of life. And that people never forget what so many people went through, whether they were Jews, gays, disabled, or gypsies.
In replying to a follow-up question, Spicer called on reporters to contrast Trump's record of support for Israel "with the actions of the last administration — the Iran nuclear deal, giving Palestine equal footing in the amendment passed at the U.N. Security Council on their way out the door."
"To compare a statement that acknowledges the Holocaust with the last eight years and the disrespect that was shown to Israel is unbelievable."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.