Former President Donald Trump's comments on the one-year anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel stunned political onlookers Monday.
Trump repeatedly put the tragic events of Oct. 7, 2023 — when at least 1,200 Israelis were killed and about 240 others taken hostage — in the context of his political reelection campaign, reports show.
“I think Israel has to do one thing: They have to get smart about Trump,” he told conservative Hugh Hewitt in an interview. “I did more for Israel than anybody. I did more for the Jewish people than anybody. And it’s not a reciprocal, as they say. Not reciprocal.”
The former president told Hewitt he believed immigrants were murderers because they had "bad genes" — which critics said echoed the eugenics rhetoric Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler used to justify his attempt to exterminate Jewish people.
Trump also phoned into the radio show “Sid & Friends” to praise his own policies in support of Jewish Americans.
“Nobody’s done more for the Jewish people than I have” Trump said. “No person has ever been better to the Jewish people, probably no person, period, to the Jewish people and Israel."
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The Jewish Democratic Council of America responded to Trump's commentary Monday with words of disgust.
"Wow," the political group wrote on X. "Trump used October 7 to continue attacking Jewish Americans and Israelis who refuse to support him. On this day of mourning and deep pain for Jews and Israelis, Trump finds a away to both attack us and make October 7 all about himself. This is absolutely disgraceful."
Daniel Miller — a lawyer, activist and political commentator, condemned what he described as a threatening tone underneath Trump's message.
"On a day when American Jews should be able to mourn the deadliest day for our people since the Holocaust, Trump is threatening Jews who don't support him and trafficking in Nazi race science," Miller wrote.
"As a Jew, I am alarmed not only for my own people, but for my country and the world."
Trump's comment spurred constitutional law professor Anthony Michael Kreis to ask one question, via gif: "Why can't you just be normal?"