Donald Trump, who has long embraced white nationalists and repeatedly criticized Jewish voters who don’t support him, is planning to attend an event on Oct. 7 to honor those killed in Hamas’ attack on Israel one year ago, his campaign announced Wednesday.
The Republican presidential nominee intends to speak at the event, which is scheduled to be held at the Trump National Doral Miami, one of his golf courses. (It’s unclear if the Trump campaign is also organizing the event; the campaign did not respond immediately to a request for comment.)
“President Trump has always condemned antisemitism and will continue to do so once he is back in the Oval Office,” his campaign said in a statement. “He will hold accountable those who perpetuate violence against the Jewish people, and as such, America will be safe and patriotic again.”
Trump has long claimed to be the most pro-Israel U.S. president in history. He has accused the Biden administration of not being supportive enough of Israel, even as the White House has provided unconditional military and financial support to its ally despite the soaring death toll in Gaza. (Trump’s anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian beliefs are also well documented.)
Yet Trump himself also has a history of invoking antisemitic tropes and has rubbed shoulders with white nationalists and Holocaust deniers. He singled out Jewish Democratic lawmakers, like Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, for attacks. In a radio interview in July, Trump claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris “doesn’t like Jewish people” and appeared to agree when the host called Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, a “crappy Jew.”
Trump has also repeatedly denigrated Jewish Democrats in remarks about the election, even at events focused on combating antisemitism. He said that any Jewish person who votes for a Democrat “hates their religion” and that “they should be ashamed of themselves.” He claimed that Jewish and Black people vote for Democrats out of “habit” and said that if he loses the 2024 election, Jewish voters “would have a lot to do” with it — a line that drew outrage from Jewish groups.
