The ex-president claimed he was so popular there that he could be the country’s next prime minister.
It comes soon after a famous ally of his, rapper Ye who was previously known as Kanye West, was removed from Instagram and Twitter for a string of anti-Semitic comments.
‘No President has done more for Israel than I have. Somewhat surprisingly, however, our wonderful Evangelicals are far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith, especially those living in the U.S,’ Trump said on his Truth Social app.
‘Those living in Israel, though, are a different story – Highest approval rating in the World could easily be P.M.!’
Trump, whose son-in-law Jared Kushner is devoutly Jewish, finished with: ‘U.S. Jews have to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel – Before it is too late!’
Critics on Twitter immediately went after the alarming remarks.
Aviva Klompas, the co-founder of the group Boundless Israel, accused Trump of threatening US Jews in his post.
‘And here’s Trump adding fuel to the antisemitic dumpster fire by demanding American Jews show loyalty to him because of Israel. And he tops it all off with a veiled threat,’ Klompas wrote.
‘[H]ow extraordinary to hear an anti-Semitic fascist billionaire begging for support from Jews,’ journalist Craig Unger wrote on the platform.
Lawyer Jennifer Taub wrote: ‘Donald Jacka** Trump just threatened Jewish people in America.’
Trump has made similar religiously divisive remarks, including in 2019 when he called American Jewish voters who supported Democrats ‘disloyal.’
He was also under fire in December 2021 when he told Israeli-based journalist Barak Ravid for his book that it was ‘dangerous’ that more American Jews on the left did not support Israel – again throwing in the ‘Evangelical’ comparison.
‘It’s a very dangerous thing that’s happening,’ Trump said, according to Ravid.
‘There’s people in this country that are Jewish and no longer love Israel. I’ll tell you, the evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country.’
The comments earned backlash from civil rights groups like the Anti-Defamation League.
American Jews have historically been a pro-Democrat voting bloc, a trend that did not change in the 2020 presidential race.
During his White House tenure, Trump had been a close ally of Israel’s then-conservative government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
His upending of decades of US policy in the fragile region – including moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – earned praise from conservative Jews at home and abroad.
And while not so much a new sentiment, Trump’s Sunday morning tirade comes against the backdrop of a troubling rise in threats and attacks targeting vulnerable groups.
A new wave of anti-Semitism in America has prompted synagogues and other Jewish community centers to be on high alert across the country.
Rapper Ye tweeted last week that he would go ‘death con 3’ on Jewish people, which got him removed from the site.
Some conservative pundits and members of the fringe right leaped to his defense, claiming he was censored for exercising his free speech.
