Trump Slams Netanyahu in Campaign Speech

Says Israeli leader 'let us down' over 2020 mission to kill Iranian general
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 12, 2023 8:13 AM CDT
Trump Slams Netanyahu in Campaign Speech
Donald Trump speaks Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, at Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fla.   (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Former President Trump has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of betraying him just before the US killed a top Iranian general in 2020, breaking from the Republican presidential primary field's uniform support of Israel as it responds to Hamas' deadly attack. Trump's comments at a rally in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday were quickly denounced by one of Netanyahu's allies and by several Republicans who oppose Trump, including 2024 rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump, the early frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination, told the rally that his prayers were with Israel and vowed to stand by the country and not let it fail—before he went on to describe a "bad experience" with its leaders.

"Israel was going to do this with us, and it was being planned and working on it for months," he said about the coordination to kill Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force. "We had everything all set to go, and the night before it happened, I got a call that Israel will not be participating in this attack," Trump said. "Nobody's heard this story before," he added. "They didn't tell us why," but "I'll never forget that Bibi Netanyahu let us down. We were disappointed by that. Very disappointed," he said. "But we did the job ourselves, with absolute precision … and then Bibi tried to take credit for it."

Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But communications minister Shlomo Karhi told Israel's Channel 13 that it is "shameful that a man like that, a former US president, abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel's fighters and its citizens." DeSantis posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that "it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel."

(More Donald Trump stories.)

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