The Jewish donors gathered Thursday had two demands of the Republican presidential candidates who’d come to speak to them: unambiguous support for Israel and respect.
Donald Trump seemed to fail at both.
The party’s 2016 front-runner openly questioned Israel’s commitment to the Mideast peace process in his remarks to the Republican Jewish Coalition, echoing comments he made the night before in an interview with The Associated Press. He drew boos after refusing to endorse Jerusalem as the nation’s undivided capital. And he suggested to the influential group simply wanted to install a puppet in the White House.
“You’re not going to support me even though you know I’m the best thing that could happen to Israel,” Trump said. “I know why you’re not going to support me — because I don’t want your money. You want to control your own politician.”
It was an extraordinary speech to a group used to deferential treatment. And Trump’s comments on Israel — particularly the billionaire businessman’s repeated questioning of its commitment to making a peace deal with the Palestinians — sparked an aggressive backlash from his Republican rivals.
“Some in our own party — in the news today — have actually questioned Israel’s commitment to peace,” Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told the crowd. “Some in our own party actually call for more sacrifice from the Israeli people. They are dead wrong, and they don’t understand the enduring bond between Israel and America.”
The primary benefactor of the Republican Jewish Coalition is casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who spent more on the 2012 federal elections than any other donor. Adelson’s willingness to make a huge political investment helps explain why his signature group attracted all of the major GOP presidential candidates to its forum in Washington — even though the man himself wasn’t among the hundreds in attendance.
On the eve of the event, Trump weighed in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an interview with The Associated Press. He questioned for the first time both sides’ commitment to peace, adding that he would know within six months of being elected president whether he could broker an elusive peace accord.
He doubled down on those comments Thursday in an auditorium packed with Israel’s most loyal supporters.
“I don’t know that Israel has the commitment to make it, and I don’t know the other side has the commitment to make it,” Trump said.
The comment drew murmurs of disapproval. Later, a smattering of boos broke out after he refused to say whether Jerusalem should serve as the undivided capital of Israel, a priority for many in America’s pro-Israel lobby.
Trump shrugged off the criticism. “Do me a favor, just relax,” he told one of the people booing. Perhaps more than any other candidate, he can afford to.
The billionaire frequently calls himself a “self-funded” candidate. Compared to his rivals, he has raised — and spent — dramatically less, depending largely on free publicity to drive his campaign. He began his candidacy by loaning his campaign almost $2 million and has suggested a willingness to spend much more of his own money.
Yet he hasn’t ignored donors altogether. Fundraising records show that supporters have handed over $4 million, enough to cover his presidential efforts in recent months.
Regardless of his relationship with donors, Trump’s comments mark a sharp contrast from his Republican rivals who pledged unconditional allegiance to Israel. Several candidates blasted him from the stage.
“This is not a real estate deal with two sides arguing over money” Rubio said. “It’s a struggle to safeguard the future of Israel.”
Said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, “We need a president who will stand unapologetically with the nation of Israel.”
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee seemed to target Trump when he mentioned that some in his party support the “head-scratching” proposal that Mideast peace is possible only if Israel and the Palestinians both come to the table.
“I want to say where have you been for the last 70 years?” Huckabee charged.
Trump’s comments also fell flat among many Thursday’s crowd.
Michael Leventoff, a New York businessman and member of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said Trump questioning Israel’s commitment to the peace process is another example of him “just getting it wrong.”
“There’s plenty of evidence of Israel’s repeated attempts at peace,” he said. “This is exactly why Trump is what I like to call a brilliant idiot. He should know better, and probably does.”
Trump told RJC members that while he doesn’t want their money, he does want their support. He noted he has won several awards from Jewish groups and recently said he has “a very good relationship” with Adelson.
The casino magnate has yet to make up his mind how who he’ll support in the GOP primary, said Adelson’s political adviser, Andy Abboud.
Each of the candidates is strong on the issues that concern Adelson the most, chief among them protection of Israel, he said. “The Adelsons are generally pleased with all of the Republican candidates and feel that the primary process will work its way out.”
(AP)
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16 Responses
Trump says whatever he wants without care – that’s why (some) people like him, and the media doesn’t.
Had a leader for the Democratic nomination said stuff like this the Republicans would be decrying the Democratic Party as the party of anti-Semites — and I couldn’t disagree.
Trump has said that if he is elected, he wants a registry of all Muslims in America. Now that I read that he is not so supportive of Israel, I wonder if he would eventually have a national registry of all Jews in America. I guess it’s in his German dna.
Any Jew who would vote for Trump, whether frum or not and whether politically conservative or not, would be making exactly the same mistake the non-Torah liberal Jews made in voting for Obama. Trump is not fit to be president, and that should have been clear even before it came to the matter of Israel.
L et’ see:
He has alienated the Latino vote, the women’s vote. the African-American vote, the Muslim vote (of course), and now the Jewish vote. What’s left?
this is an example of terrible reporting on the part of YWN. Trump drew boo’s when he said he was traveling to Israel. He also said Israel has given much and has little no to recognition. Up until now you have my great respect for fast and unbiased reporting. PLEASE let’s keep it that way and PLEASE report responsibly to the level of kiddish Hashem to Jews and non-Jews alike.
Shabbat Shalom
When is this buffoon going to disappear so we can get on with the job of defeating do-nothing Clinton
Isn’t Trumps daughter avinka Jewish with an orthodox conversion? At least that’s what Wikipedia says
Don’t know if the reporting is accurate, but the lead sentence is tone deaf: “The Jewish donors gathered Thursday had two demands…” Does it make sense to use ‘demands’to express that these people wanted to know where the candidate stands regarding their issues and interests. And in the lead sentence, to add to the impact. Isn’t the word “demands” and everything it evokes, besides the usual canard, and including the corrosive and contagious disease of entitlement, enough turn anyone off? With respect, that was poorly phrased.
“When is this buffoon going to disappear so we can get on with the job of defeating do-nothing Clinton ”
Apparently not any time soon. The CNN/ORC poll released today had Trump with 36% of Republican primary voters and nobody else with more than 16%. It really is looking like the general election will be Trump vs. Clinton.
Donald Trump’s statements are often taken out of context, even when quoted directly, by the press. I will watch a video of what was actually said before I draw any conclusions.
@6. It’s the Associated Press, not YWN – the Associated Press like just about every other online news source writes silly stuff. YWN shouldn’t post AP articles anyway.
The AP is a totally Leftist outlet and their reporting is always slanted and totally anti Israel. Anything that they have said about Trump can’t be trusted at all. AP should not be a source for news for YWN.
The Democrats are certainly no friends of Israel starting with Obama. Wasserman Schultz and Nadler have signed onto the Iran “peace” deal. Charlie Hall didn’t disagree with them.
Maybe Trump feels he can get a better deal in the elections if he alienates Moslems to get Jews and Jews to get Moslems and alienates women to get more men?
Maybe he thought his trump card negating the risk factor of alienating potential Jewish investors was his Jewish daughter. Unfortunately he might not realize there are many Intangible factors at play. Such as that normally Jews do not vote based on how many Jews are in the family of the politician but rather on Policy. And while Israel has the Real Estate the Palestinians want (ALL ISRAEL) there are strong Intangible and High Risk factors such as the MUst for Palestinians to END INCITEMENT and the RECORD (long term pattern via long term analysis) of Israeli withdrawals leading to increased terrorism from the newly retreated from lands themselves Plus No PEACE as well. Bad Deal!
Trumo is being practical. 4 presidents over the past 25 years have done nothing to make peace, despite all of their efforts. So what is he going to do different or better?
Amazing how fifteen basic different comments on different topics, lol I’m having a hard time following this thread. Either hate him or live him, face it he’s here to stay, lol.