Trump says ongoing war in Gaza is ‘hurting Israel’ in the court of public opinion

US President Donald Trump says Israel “may be winning the [Gaza] war, but they’re not winning the world of public relations.”

Trump’s comments in an interview with the Daily Caller echo ones he made several times last year during the presidential campaign, but he has not repeated the argument since returning to office in January.

He has recently began reiterating his belief that Israel needs to end the war quickly and tells the Daily Caller, “They’re gonna have to get that war over with… It is hurting Israel.”

But Trump also has indicated his support for Israel’s plan to take over Gaza City, asserting in recent weeks that Jerusalem must “finish the job” against Hamas and claiming that the terror group will only release the remaining hostages after it is destroyed. The IDF has reportedly determined that the Gaza City operation could take four or five months to complete after which Netanyahu has talked about a subsequent operation to conquer the refugee camps in the central Strip.

Trump is asked in the interview whether he is concerned about waning support for Israel in the US, including among Republicans: “I’m aware of it,” he responds.

He then pivots to highlight his “good support from Israel,” while touting the moves he has taken as president in defense of the Jewish state.

Trump notes that Israel had “the strongest lobby in Congress” 15 or 20 years ago, but no longer does.

“There was a time where… if you wanted to be a politician, you couldn’t speak badly [about Israel],” he says. “Israel was the strongest lobby I’ve ever seen.. They had total control over Congress,” Trump adds. Israel has “been hurt, especially in Congress.”

As he often does in soundbites regarding Israel, the US president then shifts to lament that “people forgot about October 7.”