Former President Donald Trump recently criticized an Israeli newspaper owned by GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. Trump’s interview with two reporters from the pro-Netanyahu paper, Israel Hayom, resulted in controversy after the reporters expressed shock at Trump’s urging for Israel to end its conflict.
In response to questions from Hewitt about the interview and subsequent media coverage, Trump lambasted what he termed “fake news,” suggesting that coverage often distorts his statements. Trump’s comments underscored his general skepticism toward critical media coverage, including that of Israel Hayom.
Miriam Adelson, the owner of Israel Hayom, reportedly arranged the interview with Trump and has recently met with him as he gears up for fundraising ahead of potential political endeavors. Adelson, who inherited a substantial fortune from her late husband Sheldon Adelson, has been a significant figure in GOP circles, pledging to stay neutral in the 2024 GOP primary.
During the interview, Trump expressed controversial views on Israel and Iran, suggesting that Israel’s conflict should never have occurred and that Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons could have been avoided through negotiation. While Trump did not directly answer Hewitt’s question about his support for Israel, he emphasized the importance of Israel winning the public relations battle in Gaza.
“Well, you know with the fake news, you never know what you’re going to get. You can say something very plainly, and they’ll turn it around. They’ll turn around everything. That’s why they’re fake. And that’s why they’ve been discovered,”
That’s why they’ve been found to be so, you know, if you look at approval ratings, they’re lower than Congress now, the news. They used to be in the 90s when I started, and now they’re lower than Congress. So I’m very proud of that fact. They’re bad news. Look, Israel should have never happened. If I were president, it would not have happened. Iran was broke. They had no money. They had no nothing. And we would have worked, a deal with Iran would have been made already. In the meantime, they’re going to have a nuclear weapon within probably 45 or 60 days. And then, it’s going to be a little tougher to talk to them. But October 7th would have never happened. They never, ever would have been attacked.”
Trump’s remarks highlight ongoing tensions surrounding his stance on foreign policy and media coverage, particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
