Donald Trump questioned the mental fitness of Jewish voters who support President Joe Biden on Wednesday, framing this year’s election as a referendum on the strength of Christianity in the United States, as part of his sharp-edged ongoing appeal to evangelical conservatives, a key component of his political base.
Speaking in Atlanta ahead of a fundraiser, the presumptive Republican candidate reiterated his longstanding criticism of Biden’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict and the administration’s support for LGBTQ Americans’ rights, especially transgender people.
“Biden has completely lost control of the Israel situation,” claimed Trump, whose 2016 campaign relied heavily on white Christian conservatives. “Any Jewish person who votes for a Democrat or votes for Biden should have their head examined.”
Trump commented after Biden reminded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that future US assistance for Israel’s Gaza campaign is contingent on the immediate execution of additional measures to safeguard civilians and relief workers.
Biden, according to Trump, “has totally abandoned Israel.”
The Gaza conflict has placed Biden between conservatives (both Christian and Jewish) who desire unwavering support for Netanyahu’s government and progressives. Conservative Christians, who are among Trump’s most ardent supporters, consider Israel’s current situation as a modern expression of God’s chosen people, the Israelites of the Old Testament in Christianity.
Biden’s left flank, however, is controlled by progressives outraged by Israel’s reprisal in Gaza, which has resulted in hundreds of Palestinian lives. Protesters have routinely greeted the president during his spring tours, and activists have organized votes against Biden in numerous Democratic primaries, even as he cruises to reelection.
The president’s campaign responded on Wednesday.
“Jewish Americans do not need to be’spoken to’ or threatened by Donald Trump,” Biden spokesperson James Singer stated. “This is what Trump does: he uses division and hatred as political instruments to gain power. Voters of all shades will reject his chaos, violence, and erratic threats once more in November.”
In Georgia, Trump rekindled his Christian base by framing the Election Day debate in religious terms.
“November 5th is the most important day in the history of our country, and it’s going to be Christian Visibility Day,” Trump stated, emphasizing “Christian Visibility Day.”
Christians, he said, “will come out and vote like never before.”
The former president was responding to conservative Christian outrage at the International Transgender Day of Visibility, a global celebration of transgender people and recognition of their difficulties, and Biden’s acknowledgment of the occasion.
The event dates back to 2009, but it has risen in popularity, and this year it coincided with Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the Christian calendar. When Biden, a Catholic, issued a proclamation on March 29 declaring the same Sunday as the official Transgender Day of Visibility in the United States, conservatives reacted with a social media firestorm, with some commenters even claiming Biden and his aides purposefully chose the date to insult Christians.
“Today, we want to deliver a message to all transgender Americans: you are loved. You’re heard. You’re understood. “You belong,” Biden stated in his announcement. “You are America, and my entire administration and I have your back.”
Most of the president’s critics disregarded the fact that he issued a different statement on Easter, which reflected his own religion.
“Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ’s Resurrection,” he remarked. “When we assemble with our loved ones, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice. We pray for one another and appreciate the blessing of new beginnings. And, as wars and conflicts continue to claim innocent lives around the world, we renew our resolve to work for peace, security, and dignity for all people.
“From our family to yours,” Biden added, “Happy Easter, and may God bless you.”
Notably, Trump emphasized his stance on abortion on Wednesday, insisting that the issue should be left to state governments and that, even there, Republicans should not pursue absolute bans — an overall approach that places the former president to the left of the most outspoken Christian right activists. In that regard, however, Trump did not mention religious doctrines or affiliations.