“Hezbollah aren’t smart, they’re evil,” Pence said. “But the former president also said when Russia invaded Ukraine in a similar, unprovoked, unconscionable invasion a year-and-a-half ago, he said Vladimir Putin was a genius.”
Pence added that while Trump has “been critical” of Netanyahu, he considers him a friend.
Pence’s comments follow his broader criticism of his rivals on foreign policy in recent days. Speaking in Iowa this past weekend, he criticized “voices of appeasement like Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis that I believe have run contrary to the tradition in our party that America is the leader of the free world.”
But in a primary where lower-polling rivals have been mostly cautious in their criticisms of the frontrunner, Trump’s remarks on Wednesday seemed to offer an opening.
In addition to Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X that “it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel.”
And President Joe Biden’s White House pounced on Trump’s remarks, calling them “unhinged.”
“We don’t comment on 2024,” deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said. “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.”
English (US)