Trump said planning Israel trip before July GOP convention

Four sources tell New York Magazine presumptive Republican nominee weighing visit; Jewish son-in-law and Adelson said making arrangements; campaign denies report

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in Billings, Montana, May 26, 2016. (AP/Brennan Linsley, File)
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in Billings, Montana, May 26, 2016. (AP/Brennan Linsley, File)

Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump is reportedly planning to visit Israel before the GOP convention in late July.

According to New York Magazine, four sources linked to the Trump campaign confirmed the Republican White House hopeful is considering a trip to the Jewish state in the next six weeks, though nothing has been finalized.

Trump’s Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson were reportedly arranging the trip.

A Trump campaign spokesperson denied the report.

US billionaire businessman Sheldon Adelson (YouTube screenshot)
US billionaire businessman Sheldon Adelson (YouTube screenshot)

In May, Trump said he believes he enjoys “massive” support from Israelis as he announced he would visit Israel before the presidential election, in an interview published by the Adelson-owned Israel Hayom daily.

Trump said during the May 11 interview that he would be visiting Israel “soon,” without specifying exactly when, responding to earlier reports that he would travel to Israel, Russia and Germany after securing the nomination at the Republican National Convention.

Though Trump’s spokesperson denied the report, when asked about it by Israel Hayom, he responded: “Yes. I will be coming soon.”

In December, Trump had announced he would visit Israel and later backed off, saying on Twitter that he would meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “after I become President of the US.”

Trump told Fox News at the time that he wasn’t canceling the trip outright: “All I’m doing is postponing it, and I think that was the better alternative.”

“I didn’t want to put [Netanyahu] under pressure, number one,” Trump said in the telephone interview on Fox and Friends in December. “I also did it because I’m in the midst of a very powerful campaign that’s going very well, and it was not that easy to do.”

Earlier this week, top aides to Adelson were in talks to set up new super PAC to support the Republican candidacy of Trump for president, according to Politico.

Adelson’s team has reportedly been in talks with high level political consultants, including former Republican Governors Association executive directors Nick Ayers and Phil Cox, former Rand Paul campaign manager Chip Englander, and former Mitch McConnell chief of staff Josh Holmes.

Two weeks ago, Adelson reached out to Jewish Republican leaders, calling on them to support the then-presumptive Republican nominee.

“I’m asking for your support” for Trump, Adelson wrote in an email to more than 50 members of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Adelson told them he had met with Trump recently and is “specifically convinced he will be a tremendous president when it comes to the safety and security of Israel.”

Most Popular
read more: