US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced at a recent private fundraiser with Jewish donors that he plans to deport anti-Israel protesters if he wins the November election.
Trump also reaffirmed Israel's right to pursue its "war on terror."
During the event, held in New York on May 14, Trump discussed his stance on the anti-Israel demonstrations that have erupted on US college campuses since the Hamas-led attack on October 7. He emphasized his intention to expel foreign students involved in these protests.
"Any student that protests, I throw them out of the country. There are a lot of foreign students. As soon as they hear that, they’re going to behave," Trump reportedly said, according to the Washington Post, which cited anonymous participants.
Trump also commended the New York Police Department for clearing out the encampment at Columbia University and urged other cities to take similar actions: "It has to be stopped now," he emphasized.
He assured donors that his re-election would significantly impede the protest movement: "If you get me reelected, we’re going to set that movement back 25 or 30 years," he said.
Trump reiterated his support for Israel's right to continue its efforts against Hamas in Gaza and lamented the lack of awareness about the October 7 attacks. He listed his achievements from his previous term, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Trump expressed concern about Israel's diminishing influence in Washington, particularly on Capitol Hill, and underscored his belief that Israel needs his assistance.
He also criticized Jewish Americans for predominantly supporting Democratic candidates, including President Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the last election. "How can a Jewish person vote for a Democrat, and Biden in particular—but forget Biden. They always let you down," he said.
Karoline Leavitt, the campaign’s national press secretary, told the Post via email that “When President Trump is back in the Oval Office, Israel will once again be protected, Iran will go back to being broke, terrorists will be hunted down, and the bloodshed will end."