President Donald Trump held a memorial service for the victims and hostages at his Miami golf resort on Monday night, marking the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamast terrorist attack, which he called “one of the darkest days in history.” However, the situation quickly changed. The attack on Kamala Harris.
He also repeated his previous claim that the attack on Israel would never have happened if he were still in the White House.
The Republican presidential candidate, who accused Harris and Joe Biden of “weaknesses” that he said gave Hamas the confidence to launch an attack, spoke against the opposition in front of about 300 supporters, mostly from the Jewish community. He said there was a growing wave of Israeli sentiment. It may be because of their regime that it is sweeping America and the wider world.
“As shocking as October 7 itself was the outburst of anti-Semitism that we all saw in its aftermath,” he said.
“Anti-Semitic hatred is back…especially within the Democratic Party. The Republican Party is not infected with this terrible disease, and it won’t be for long as long as I’m in charge.”
He said the attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and another 250 taken hostage by Hamas, was a “terrible moment in history”.
“It was like the gates of hell had opened and the horrors were unleashed upon the world. We never thought we would see it…and a lot of it has to do with the leadership of this country. Masu.”
Despite both Biden and Harris expressing support for the right to self-defense, President Trump argued that the attack would not have occurred had he been elected to a second term, and that the US has lost the fight against Israel, which he claims has been lost. said to restore intimacy.
“If I was told that if I became president, America would be stronger again and closer to (Israel) than ever before, then that’s the time. But we have to win the election,” he said. said.
“What we need now more than ever is the unwavering leadership of the United States. The dawn of a new, more harmonious Middle East is finally within our reach. I will not tolerate another Jewish holocaust. I will not allow a holy war to be waged against America or its allies, and I support Israel’s right to win the war. I will.”
Trump’s fire-and-brimstone speech paid tribute to those who lost their lives but also talked about making sure Israel had what it needed to defend itself, his Democratic opponent in November, Harris. contradicted statements made earlier in the day.
Biden expressed sadness at suffering on all sides of the Middle East conflict and in a statement condemned the “vicious rise in anti-Semitism in the United States” since the attacks.
President Trump’s speech began more than two hours later than scheduled. He joked about the bumpy flight from New York and worries about Florida from Category 5 Hurricane Milton, which is expected to hit the state Wednesday.
As he took to the stage at the Trump National Ballroom in Doral, some supporters wore yarmulkes embroidered with the former president’s name.
He spoke against a backdrop of six American and Israeli flags and images of some 1,200 victims, including 46 Americans, killed by Hamas a year ago. A series of speakers and guests took to the stage and lit memorial candles, including two Holocaust survivors, a Jewish religious leader and a Republican politician.
Along one wall, rows of candles were placed in front of photographs of dozens of hostages. Each name had the word “kidnapped” in capital letters.
Photos of hostages and victims behind Donald Trump. Photo: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images
Trump has billed himself as Israel’s strongest and most outspoken defender, but he has also drawn criticism for his past comments. A year ago, shortly after the terrorist attack on the Nova music festival, he called Hezbollah, a Lebanese group with close ties to Hamas, “very smart” and called Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant a “bastard.”
At an event in Florida last October, President Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not ready and that Israel’s enemies were “smart, and they are vicious.”
The White House called his comments “dangerous and disorderly.”
President Trump raised eyebrows last month by claiming he was “the most popular man in Israel,” after polls showed his approval rating with Jewish voters was below 40%. lamented the lack of support from
He claimed he had been Israel’s “best president ever” and said: “Based on what I’ve done so far…I should be at 100%.” President Trump did not repeat that boast on Monday.
Some supporters in the Miami audience were pleased to hear President Trump speak forcefully in defense of Israel.
“Kamala Harris will support Hamas. She is no friend of Israel,” said Miami resident Ben Fischer. “Donald Trump speaks the words of a strong leader. He knows that when his country is attacked, whether it’s an attack on a festival or a missile from Tehran, he can’t stand by.”
Earlier in the day, Harris spoke at the vice president’s residence, pledging that if elected next month, she would “make sure Israel always has what it needs to defend itself.”
Unlike Trump, she avoided opportunities to make political statements and focused on the victims, telling the stories of the two Americans who died and each of the seven Americans taken to Gaza by Hamas. four of whom are believed to be still alive.
