Former President Donald Trump made the claim on Monday that Democrats "hate Israel" and that any Jewish voter who supports Democrats hates their religion.
Trump was asked by his own former assistant and current talk show host Sebastian Gorka why Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., "hate" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I actually think they hate Israel," Trump responded. "And the Democrat Party hates Israel." Trump suggested Schumer, who is Jewish, has become "very anti-Israel" for political reasons, citing large pro-Palestinian protests across the country amid violence in Gaza.
Last Thursday, Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish U.S. elected official, called for new elections in Israel and declared Netanyahu an obstacle to peace saying the prime minister had "lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedence over the best interests of Israel." Schumer continued, "As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me: The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7."
"Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed," Trump said to Gorka. "Don't forget, when you see those Palestinian marches — even I am amazed at how many people are in those marches," Trump said. "And guys like Schumer see that, and to him, it's votes. I think it's votes more than anything else, because he was always pro-Israel. He's very anti-Israel now."
In addition to having Jewish grandchildren from his daughter Ivanka's conversion to Judaism, Trump has aligned himself deeply with causes central to Israel. During his term as president, Trump relocated the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, and his administration oversaw the signing of the Abraham Accords to normalize relations among countries in the Middle East.