What’s Happening:

Chaos erupting in the Middle East has left many politicians on the right and left sides of the aisle struggling to make sense of the situation and express their feelings. Key Democrats have been criticized for their soft responses or even silence. This contrasts with Republicans who appear unified in their strong support of Israel while condemning Hezbollah.

Former President Donald Trump stunned many people with his blunt assessment of the ongoing conflict. He appeared to praise the terrorists and criticize Israel during a speech. What he said prompted a quick response from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in a post on X, formerly known as twitter.

From the Washington Examiner:
“As President, I will stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are,” DeSantis said.

Trump was speaking at a rally Wednesday in Palm Beach when he spoke negatively about the intelligence failures of the Israeli government surrounding the terrorist attack. He called Hezbollah “very smart.” The group is a Lebanese Shia Islamist party tagged by the United States as a terrorist organization.

Trump’s assessment was quickly challenged by his GOP contender in the 2024 presidential race. It was a stark contrast in stance on the issue.

“Terrorists have murdered at least 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans and are holding more hostage, so it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as ‘very smart,’” DeSantis wrote.

During the rally Trump acknowledged that he might be hit hard for describing Hezbollah as “smart.” He compared it to past media coverage when he described Chinese President Xi Jinping as “smart.”

Trump continued his rally rant by criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and saying that Israel needs to further strengthen itself. He said he felt “Bibi Netanyahu let us down” and that Israel should prepare for a larger fight that could involve Iran.

DeSantis also strongly criticized the Biden administration over its handling of the war in Israel and Gaza. DeSantis believes that Biden’s policies helped contribute to the crisis.

Key Takeaways:

• Trump stumps by criticizing Israel and calling terrorists “smart.”
• GOP challenger DeSantis quickly calls out the former president.
• DeSantis said he will treat terrorists like the “scum that they are.”

Source: Washington Examiner