Defeated, former President Donald Trump did something he rarely does - damage control.
Most of what Trump says is done without consequence.
However, Trump has had to walk back comments he made regarding Israel during a speech on Wednesday in Florida. Instead of offering Israel unconditional support as President Biden has done, Trump not only attacked Israel, but praised Hezbollah as "smart". Trump claimed Israel let him down when informed they would not be participating in the strike against Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020 and then stating he was upset with Prime Minister Netanyahu for taking credit for the hit. Netanyahu did no such thing as Israel was never involved in the U.S. mission against Soleimani. For bad measure, Trump also referred to Israeli Defense Minister Gallant as a "jerk".
Trump was taken to task for his remarks by GOP presidential rivals Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Chris Christie and has also been rebuked by Israeli cabinet minister Shlomo Karhi, a Likud Party MK, who stated in an Israeli TV interview that it was “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.” Indeed, let us not forget, Israel had what was tantamount to its 9/11 or Pearl Harbor and Trump sees fit to criticize them while they are down. Sure, Netanyahu and his government must answer for their failures to anticipate and prepare for this attack, but Netanyahu and his government must answer to Israelis, not to Donald Trump.
In an effort towards damage control, Trump took to TruthSocial on Friday to claim #IStandWithIsrael and #IStandWithBibi. But I'm afraid the damage is done and cannot be undone. The damage doesn't concern winning the GOP nomination. The Republican presidential race is a waste of time. However, Trump has ceded his pro-Israel credentials to President Biden who was won wide praise within Israel across the political spectrum and among some American conservatives normally critical of the President. This is what will damage Trump in both the short term and the long term.
Of course, Trump's criticism of Israel and Netanyahu in particular is motivated by the fact that Netanyahu had the temerity to follow diplomatic protocol and congratulate Biden on his election victory rather than indulge in his election denial fantasies. Mind you, Trump hasn't held any other world leader to this standard. The fact that Trump still holds this grudge nearly three years after the election demonstrates yet again why Joe Biden should continue to be President of the United States and why Donald Trump shouldn't.
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