The former president’s speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership summit in Las Vegas was well-received by the audience, which included seven GOP presidential rivals. They all agreed that the Israel-Hamas war is a battle of good versus evil and accused President Joe Biden of responding to the crisis with weakness. The former president emphasized that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is not a conflict between two equal sides but a fight between civilization and savagery. He made no mention of his Republican rivals in his speech.
During the summit, candidate Mike Pence surprised the audience by announcing that he was discontinuing his presidential bid. He did not reveal whether he would endorse any of the other Republican contenders. This announcement comes at a time when the former president is the favorite for the 2024 presidential nomination, leading his competitors by a large margin in opinion polls.
Nikki Haley, another presidential candidate, praised Pence for his service but also took some jabs at the former president, criticizing his recent statements about Hezbollah and the Israeli prime minister. The audience showed their approval for Haley’s remarks.
The former president contrasted his actions and support for Israel with President Biden’s response to the war. He argued that Biden’s initial waffling on support for Israel demonstrated weakness, and he criticized the decision to send aid to the Gaza Strip, fearing that the funds could fuel more terrorism. The former president promised that if he returned to the White House, the United States would stand with Israel without hesitation. He also vowed to restore economic sanctions on Iran and increase U.S. oil production to reduce dependence on foreign oil.
Moreover, the former president highlighted the importance of protecting Jewish citizens from antisemitism and criticized Biden for not addressing the recent increase in anti-Semitic incidents. He expressed his commitment to keeping the country safe through measures like a travel ban and ideological screening for immigrants.
Attendees of the summit praised the former president’s speech, with many considering him the star of the show. They appreciated his strong support for Israel and his historic achievements in strengthening U.S.-Israel relations, such as relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and negotiating the Abraham Accords. There was a general sentiment among some attendees that other candidates should consider bowing out of the race, as the former president is seen as the clear frontrunner.
Overall, the summit emphasized the candidates’ united outrage over the Hamas attacks and their support for Israel. The main message from the event was the importance of standing with Israel and the belief that there is no moral equivalency between the actions of Hamas and Israel. Many attendees were also more pro-Trump this year and appreciated his strong stance on Israel and national security.