Trump: Only an idiot wouldn’t respond to October 7 like Israel

Former US President Donald Trump appears to back Israel’s response to the October 7 massacre in a comment published by the Israel Hayom free tabloid.

“Only a crazy or an idiot wouldn’t respond like Israel did to October 7,” he is quoted saying, in a single comment published in Hebrew previewing a fuller interview to be released by the paper later today.

Trump’s comments on Israel’s response have been somewhat muddled until now, with him largely responding to questions about the military operation by repeating the mantra that Hamas’s long-planned attack would not have occurred if he were still president.

It's garbled because Trump is generally incoherent but I think Trump is saying that the Hamas attack on Israel happened because the Israelis "got soft" here.

He goes on to say that dead people in Ukraine and Russia and Israel would be "leading great lives" if he was in office. pic.twitter.com/x6GpYk1BZ3

— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) March 5, 2024

In the immediate aftermath of the attack he also drew jeers for calling Defense Minister Yoav Gallant a “jerk” over warnings to Hezbollah in the north. Trump also appeared to praise the terror group as “very smart.”