President Joe Biden’s White House recently took direct shot at former President Donald Trump for “unhinged and sickening” comments when he referred to Hezbollah as “smart” in a speech.
On Wednesday night, Trump spoke to about 4,000 members of a group called “Club 47 USA” at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida in a speech that was full of viral moments.
There was a chunk of the speech that drew fire directly from a senior Biden aide in which Trump ranted about the new violence that has erupted since Hamas launched an unprecedented coordinated terrorist assault on Israel.
In the course of attacking the Biden administration, Trump managed to repeatedly call Hezbollah “very smart”:
“And then 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 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. The press doesn’t like when they say (indistinct) you know…
(Digression about President Xi)
But Hezbollah, they’re very smart and they have a national defense minister or somebody saying, “I hope Hezbollah doesn’t attack us from the north.”.
So the following morning they attacked. They might not have been doing it, but if you listen to this jerk, you would attack from the north because he said, that’s our weak spot. Whoever heard of officials saying on television that they hope the enemy doesn’t attack in a certain area?”
White House senior communications adviser Andrew Bates torched Trump for the remarks — while taking care to note “we don’t comment on 2024.”
In a statement to Mediaite, Bates wrote:
“We don’t comment on 2024. Statements like this are dangerous and unhinged. It’s completely lost on us why any American would ever praise an Iran-backed terrorist organization as “smart.”
Or have any objection to the United States warning terrorists not to attack Israel. Especially now as Israel is fighting back against one of the worst acts of mass murder in the country’s history. This is a time for all of us to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel against ‘unadulterated evil.’ That’s what the President is doing as commander in chief.”
Bates similarly slammed Trump on Wednesday night, tweeting the clip on X/Twitter with a pithier comment:
We don't comment on 2024.
Calling an Iran-backed terrorist group "smart" – especially at a time like this – is unhinged and sickening.
Why in God's name would any American do that? https://t.co/37ZFLx4kCQ
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) October 12, 2023
