On Thursday, the White House denounced former president Donald Trump for calling the violent Hezbollah organization in Lebanon “very smart.”
Although the White House normally avoids commenting on the 2024 presidential election, deputy press secretary Andrew Bates stated in a statement that Trump’s comments were “dangerous and unhinged.”
“We have no idea why any American would ever refer to a terrorist group backed by Iran as smart.'” Or oppose in any way to the US telling terrorists not to strike Israel,” Bates added. “Especially now that Israel is retaliating against one of the worst mass killings in its history,”
It was further stated that now was the time for everyone to join with Israel in opposition to “unadulterated evil.” “That’s what the President is doing in his capacity as commander in chief.”
In remarks at a Club 47 event in West Palm Beach, Trump falsely claimed that President Joe Biden‘s administration funded the attacks with the $6 billion in oil revenue it had recently unfrozen as a result of an exchange of prisoners with Iran, which has historically funded both Hezbollah and Hamas. Since Hamas’s unexpected attack last weekend, Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging gunfire across the border.
“And then two nights ago, I read all of Biden’s security personnel,” Trump remarked. People involved in national security expressed their optimism that Hezbollah wouldn’t assault from the north because that region is the most exposed. I remarked, “Wait a second. You know how intelligent Hezbollah is. They’re all highly intelligent.
The Trump team stated in a statement on Thursday that by alerting terrorists to a target region, the president was “clearly pointing out how stupid Biden and his administration were. Smart does not equate to good. It merely demonstrates Biden’s stupidity.
In his speech, Trump also attacked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, claiming that the latter “has been flying across the country setting fire to his reputation and frankly destroying the reputation of Florida.”
On Wednesday evening, DeSantis also criticized Trump for calling the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah “very smart” in a post on the X platform that featured a video of the former president’s remarks: “Terrorists have killed at least 1,200 Israelis as well as 22 Americans and have taken more hostage, so it is absurd that anybody, much less someone operating for President, would choose to attack now, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as “very smart
He continued, “As President, I will support Israel and treat terrorists like the filth that they are.”
In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Tuesday, DeSantis, who has recently stepped up his criticism of Trump, claimed that if Trump secures the GOP presidential nominee, Democrats will have a better chance of capturing the White House in 2024.
“If I’m the candidate, I believe a referendum on Joe Biden means we win. DeSantis remarked on “Morning Joe” that if the election were simply a referendum on Donald Trump, the Democrats would triumph.
While “millions” of voters disagree with Biden, think the nation is headed in the wrong direction, and “want to vote for a Republican,” he claimed that Trump is “just a dealbreaker for them.” They simply won’t comply.
The Biden administration has been accused of the attacks that have sparked conflict by Republican 2024 presidential contenders since Hamas began attacking Israel last Saturday. Without providing any proof, a few of the candidates have asserted that the attacks were funded by the United States as a result of the Iranian prisoner exchange agreement.
In light of Israel’s conflict with Hamas and this week’s efforts to release American detainees, Biden has frequently emphasized the support of his administration for Israel. In response to GOP criticism, his administration has also insisted that the $6 billion in oil windfall that Iran just regained access to was not funded by American taxpayer money.
Three individuals, two of whom were in the room, said that Wally Adeyemo informed House Democrats on Thursday that the U.S. and Qatari governments had agreed to prevent Iran from gaining access to any of the $6 billion.
According to two of the people, Adeyemo claimed that the money “isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”
As the war enters its sixth day, Israel has carried out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip & Hamas has fired rockets at Tel Aviv. Over 2 million Palestinians, half of them are children, live in Gaza, a heavily populated strip, according to the Israeli military, which claimed it is preparing for a potential ground attack there. Following the formation of a wartime unity Cabinet and his pledge to “crush and destroy” Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the readiness of the Israel Defense Force.