Republicans slam Trump’s comments on Netanyahu and Hezbollah

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican who has often been astatine likelihood with the erstwhile president, posted connected X, formerly Twitter: “Women, children, elderly, Israelis, and Americans alike person been slaughtered by these evil terrorists. It is ne'er acceptable to praise deranged murderers oregon undermine 1 of our closest allies successful their darkest hour.”

The rebukes of Trump from members of his ain enactment travel aft the erstwhile president and frontrunner successful the Republican statesmanlike superior began unexpectedly criticizing Netanyahu connected Wednesday successful airy of Israel’s ongoing warfare with the Palestinian militant radical Hamas.

“He has been wounded precise severely due to the fact that of what’s happened here,” Trump said successful an interrogation for Fox News Radio’s “Brian Kilmeade Show” that was featured connected tv connected Wednesday night. “He was not prepared. He was not prepared and Israel was not prepared.”

Trump besides chided the Israeli person astatine a code successful Palm Beach, Fla., connected Wednesday.

“I’ll ne'er hide that Bibi Netanyahu fto america down,” Trump said. “That was a precise unspeakable thing.”

Trump went connected to accidental that helium had “a atrocious acquisition with Israel arsenic president,” erstwhile his medication carried retired a targeted airstrike successful January 2020 to termination the Iranian wide Qasem Soleimani, person of the paramilitary Quds Force, who was successful Baghdad astatine the time. According to Trump, Netanyahu refused to assistance the U.S. transportation retired the airstrikes.

In his speech, Trump besides described the actions of the militant radical Hezbollah — an Iranian-backed proxy radical based successful Lebanon that the U.S. and different governments person designated a violent radical — arsenic “very smart.”

Many of Trump’s GOP rivals have condemned his remarks, calling them “inhumane” and “absurd.” The White House called the comments “dangerous and unhinged” successful a connection connected Thursday.

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Republican successful the Senate, said that voters would beryllium the eventual justice of Trump’s rhetoric.

“Under our constitution, helium has the liberty to accidental what helium wants to say. He tin beryllium judged for it,” Thune said successful an quality connected Fox News connected Thursday. “That’s what the American radical person to do. They’ll person an accidental to bash that successful a statesmanlike predetermination coming up up of us.”

“I anticipation radical arsenic they look astatine these leaders volition marque decisions and conclusions based upon who they deliberation is champion capable to negociate not lone the United States of America and our home challenges, but the planetary stage, wherever the remainder of the satellite looks for leadership,” Thune continued.