Staff Reports
Rep. Jake Auchincloss, a Democrat and Marine veteran, has called out former President Donald Trump for his remarks in 2016 suggesting that Israel should pay more for its own defense or reimburse the United States. Auchincloss, a close ally of President Joe Biden, slammed Trump for these comments in light of the recent terrorist attacks by Hamas and the ongoing war in Israel. Trump’s suggestion that other countries should pay more for defense was part of his campaign platform, but Auchincloss argues that forcing Israel to pay the United States back for security assistance is unfair.
In addition to the defense spending issue, Auchincloss also pointed to a 2017 incident in which Trump reportedly shared classified Israeli intelligence with Russian officials. This leak potentially compromised Israeli intelligence sources and methods. Auchincloss highlighted this incident as evidence of Trump’s disregard for Israeli security.
Auchincloss also questioned whether Trump agreed with the recent calls by some Republicans to eliminate funding for Israel’s self-defense. He challenged MAGA Republicans to answer for their own record on Israel and questioned whether they truly support the country.
While Trump’s campaign did not respond to Auchincloss’s comments, it’s important to note that Trump took several significant actions during his presidency that were perceived as supportive of Israel. These actions included moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, ordering the killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, and brokering the historic Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
On the other hand, Trump has criticized Biden for his handling of the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas. Trump believes that Biden’s decision to unfreeze $6 billion for Iran as part of a prisoner swap deal is partly to blame for the attacks on Israel. He argues that under his leadership, the attack on Israel would not have happened.
In response to the war in Israel, some politicians from both parties have called for the U.S. to refreeze the $6 billion in funds for Iran, citing Iran’s support for Hamas and its involvement in the terrorist attack. Trump supports this position and believes that his administration would have taken stronger action against Iran and prevented the attack on Israel.
The article also briefly mentions an unrelated incident involving Trump and a white nationalist and anti-Semite named Nick Fuentes. Governor Ron DeSantis was asked about a dinner that Trump had with Fuentes in 2022, to which DeSantis responded that he would not have done the same. The article does not provide any further details or context about this incident.
Overall, this article highlights the criticisms and disagreements between Democrats and Republicans regarding Trump’s past statements and actions concerning Israel and the ongoing war. While Auchincloss and other Democrats believe that Trump’s remarks were unfair and potentially harmful to Israel’s security, Trump and his supporters argue that his administration took significant actions in support of Israel and that Biden’s policies have contributed to the current conflict.
