Trump says he’s Israel’s protector, warns Jewish voters against supporting Harris : NPR

Former President Donald Trump speaks before prominent Jewish donors at an event titled “Fighting Anti-Semitism in America” in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 19.

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Former President Donald Trump is casting himself as Israel’s “protector” and warning Jewish voters against supporting his rival, Vice President Harris.

Trump addressed the Israeli-American Council summit in Washington, D.C, on Thursday, during an evening focused on commemorating the October 7 attacks that sparked Israel’s war with Hamas.

Speaking to a mostly friendly crowd, Trump touted his past support for Israel and, without providing evidence, claimed that the Jewish state will soon cease to exist unless he’s elected.

“It’s total annihilation — that’s what you’re talking about,” Trump said. “You have a big protector in me. You don’t have a protector on the other side.”

Trump also accused Harris of “pandering” to Hamas supporters and said “Jewish people have no excuse” for supporting his Democratic rival. Trump has a long history of accusing Jewish Democrats of being disloyal to Israel.

Harris has said that she will support Israel’s right to defend itself while also calling the suffering in Gaza “devastating.”

The Hamas attack on October 7 killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 hostages, including some American citizens. Since then, health officials in Gaza say more than 40,000 Palestinians have died.

Trump’s address to the Israeli-American Council comes just weeks after a 23-year-old Israeli-American, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was found shot dead in a Hamas tunnel in Gaza, along with the bodies of five other hostages.

Other featured speakers Thursday night included Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York and Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson.