Donald Trump criticizes Jewish voters who support Democrats in remarks to GOP Jewish group

WASHINGTION ? Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats should have their "head examined," and claimed without evidence that a victory for Vice President Kamala Harris' this fall would lead to the destruction of Israel.

"I don't understand how anybody can support them," Trump said in livestreamed comments to a Republican Jewish Coalition summit in Las Vegas. "If you had them to support, and you were Jewish, you have to have your head examined."

Trump falsely accused President Joe Biden, Harris and their administration of blaming Israel for the recent deaths of six hostages being held by Hamas, including one American.

Other Jewish American groups immediately criticized Trump's comments, accusing him of citing offensive stereotypes about Jewish people. Trump has repeatedly conflated American Jewish people with Israelis, or their political priorities with that of the Israeli government.

Trump "clearly has animus toward the vast majority of American Jewish Voters," alleged Haile Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, citing the "head examined" line as only the latest example.

Soifer also noted that Trump referred to Israel as "your nation" before the largely Jewish group.

"We don't have dual loyalties, but the accusation that we do is antisemitic," Soifer shared on X.

Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, accused Trump of dividing people by talking about "good Jews" and "bad Jews," a tactic that has "fueled broader anti-Semitism for decades."

"It is a deeply dangerous political game that Trump is playing," Spitalnick said.

Deploying some of his harshest rhetoric of the campaign, Trump accused Biden and Harris of being "morally rotten," and putting the very existence of Israel at risk.

"If they win, Israel is gone," Trump said at one point in a brief speech that often drew applause from RJC members.

At another, Trump said: "Who are the 50% of Jewish people that are voting for these people that hate Israel and don't like the Jewish people? Why are they voting? How do they exist?" It wasn't immediately clear what polling Trump was citing on Thursday, though polling earlier this year showed that American Jewish voters widely expected to support President Joe Biden this fall.

As for Harris, Trump told the Republican Jewish Coalition that "you're going to be abandoned if she becomes president, and I think you have to explain that to your people."

Harris campaign spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein accused Trump of demeaning Jewish Americans, adding that he has previously criticized Israel.

“Donald Trump has made it obvious he would turn on Israel in a moment if it suited his personal interests," Finkelstein said. "Meanwhile, the Vice President has been incredibly clear: She has been a lifelong supporter of the State of Israel as a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people. She has an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel and will always stand up for its right to defend itself."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump criticizes Jewish voters supporting Democrats in 2024