As fighting escalates in the Middle East, Trump pitches himself to Jewish voters

WASHINGTON, DC — Before a crowd of supporters in the nation's capital, former President Donald Trump delivered a speech about fighting antisemitism and the rise in attacks on Jewish people in the U.S. on Thursday, as the war between Israel and militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas has escalated, threatening to engulf the region.

Trump spent much of the time addressing his run for the presidency, claiming his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, has "done absolutely nothing" for Jewish Americans, and suggesting Jews would bear responsibility if he loses in November.

Neither candidate has said much about how they would deescalate rising tensions in the Middle East. Trump has said he would stand with Israel , but has not provided details on what that would mean.

Harris also said she would stand with Israel as president. At the National Association of Black Journalists event this week, she repeated her call for a cease-fire, saying that Israel should not reoccupy Gaza, and said that she supported Biden's decision to stop the delivery of some bombs to Israel.

During Trump's remarks Thursday, which started with a long explanation of current swing-state polls favorable to him, Trump declared himself the "greatest friend" Jews had ever had in the White House — or, he said, he already was. "I am the best defender you've had as president by far," he said. The crowd cheered in response.

Trump was speaking to a friendly crowd — an invite-only group of Jewish leaders and select lawmakers, like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC. Many of the Jews in attendance — some of them students from elite college campuses like Harvard — wore yarmulkes stamped with the Trump campaign logo.

What is happening to American Jews is "terrible," Trump said. He spoke about the attacks on Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, and the ensuing wave of antisemitic hate — in American streets and on American campuses — that followed. He spoke of the Holocaust and condemned those that deny it.

"They said, 'We don't believe it ever took place.' And it's a terrible thing when they say that. I never thought I would see anything like what is happening right now," he said.

"Kamala Harris has done absolutely nothing," he said. "She has not lifted a single finger to protect you, or to protect your children, or to protect you with words." Harris' husband Doug Emhoff is Jewish.

Trump expressed disbelief he wasn't more popular among Jewish voters.

A survey of Jewish voters came out, Trump said, that showed him at 40%. "That means you've got 60% voting for somebody that hates Israel," he said.

If Harris wins, Trump said, Israel would be "eradicated," "wiped off the face of the earth" and "cease to exist." "I'm not going to call this a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss if I'm at 40%" he said. "If I'm at 40, think of it, that means 60% are voting for Kamala (Harris), who, in particular, is a bad Democrat. The Democrats are bad to Israel, very bad." There was no cheering.

Within hours, the line was darting across the internet — Trump had implied that Jews, who make up around 2% of the U.S. electorate, would be at least partially responsible if he loses.

Trump's comment was condemned as antisemitic and threatening; by Friday afternoon, the Jewish Democratic Council of America had already used it in a fundraising email. "We're not historians, but we know enough to know that when leaders start blaming 'the Jewish people' for anything — let alone losses — it's not good," the email read.

Inside the room, though, the line didn't seem to register. Trump's conservative audience applauded when he said he could run for "any office in Israel" and win, and laughed when he said that Jews who vote Democrat "should have their head examined." When he called Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest ranking Jew in the U.S. government, a "Palestinian," there was an audible groan — then laughing and clapping. "What the hell happened to him?" Trump asked. "Schumer is Hamas all the way."

But Trump's earlier comment — that Jews would bear responsibility if he loses in November — bothered some of the attendees. Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Jewish activist who spoke at the Republican National Convention in July about his lawsuit against Harvard, just endorsed Trump this month . He stands by that decision, he told me after Thursday's event — when given a binary choice, Trump is the only candidate he thinks would empower Israel to "wage the war that they believe is necessary to bring home the hostages."

The next morning, during a panel at the Israeli American Council's national summit in Washington, Kestenbaum took a moment to respond to Trump's statement: "The comment, the suggestion, that Jews will be to blame for an election loss — the comment that the state of Israel will cease to exist if your candidate loses — is unproductive at best, and it is offensive and derogatory at worst, and I condemn it 100% percent." The audience, many of whom attended Trump's speech the night before, rose in applause.