Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called out former President Donald Trump for labeling Lebanon’s terrorist group Hezbollah “very smart.”
“Terrorists have murdered at least 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans and are holding more hostage, so it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for president, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as ‘very smart,’” Mr. DeSantis wrote on X Wednesday.
He wrote that as president he would “stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are.”
At a stump speech in West Palm Beach, Florida, Wednesday, Mr. Trump said, “Two nights ago, I read all of Biden’s security people, can you imagine, national defense people, and they said, ‘Gee, I hope Hezbollah doesn’t [get involved in the conflict and] attack from the north, because that’s the most vulnerable spot.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute.’ You know, Hezbollah is very smart. They’re all very smart.”
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough also railed against Mr. Trump’s comments Thursday.
“Out of his mind,” Mr. Scarborough said. “I mean, praising Hezbollah, just like he praised Vladimir Putin, said he was brilliant after the invasion of Ukraine, all the praise that he’s had for President Xi [Jinping] in China, always talking about what a brilliant man he is. Same thing, of course, with the tyrannical leader of North Korea. You know, out of his mind.”
SEE ALSO: Blinken assures Israel of support, says civilians must be protected
Hezbollah is an Iran-backed terrorist group separate from Hamas, which attacked Israel Saturday.
In a separate interview on Fox News’ “The Brian Kilmeade Show,” Mr. Trump said the attack on Israel “would never have happened” if he were president, “just like Ukraine would have never happened with Russia.”
He also said that “under Trump [Israel] wouldn’t have had to be prepared,” suggesting that this conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians would have been a nonstarter.
Over 2,000 people have been killed from both sides of the Israel-Hamas war, including at least 22 Americans, officials have said.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.