Connect with us

World News

The Memo: DeSantis sees opportunity in Trump’s Israel controversy on October 13, 2023 at 9:30 am

Published

on

Violence in Israel and Gaza is impacting the 2024 presidential campaign in an unexpected fashion, after former President Trump sparked controversy with peculiar comments in a speech.

Trump’s GOP primary rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, hit the former president hard in the 24 hours that followed, leveling some of his harshest and most direct criticism to date — including calling Trump’s remarks “absurd.”

But the DeSantis jabs, in turn, are sparking a fightback from Trump loyalists, who contend that the Florida governor is showing desperation by seeking to reap political advantage from the crisis while he lags badly in the polls.

“Ron DeSantis and his campaign look like members of the Lincoln Project to the base right now,” said one GOP operative supportive of Trump, referring to the stridently anti-Trump group.

Advertisement

“You guys [in the media] all bit on it, but it has backfired with the base.”

The furor was kicked off when Trump spoke Wednesday before a friendly crowd in West Palm Beach, Fla.

In remarks that appeared unscripted, Trump went after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for purportedly not being supportive enough of the U.S. as it planned the 2020 U.S. assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force. 

Soleimani was assassinated in a U.S. drone strike in January of that year, while Trump was president.

Advertisement

“I’ll never forget that Bibi Netanyahu let us down,” Trump said. “That was a very terrible thing.”

Trump also contended that Netanyahu had sought to claim partial credit for the operation after he knew it had been successfully completed.

Separately, Trump said that Hezbollah, the Iranian-supported militant group whose stronghold is in southern Lebanon, abutting Israel’s northern border, is “very smart.”

He made that remark in the context of criticizing the Israeli defense minister for allegedly drawing attention to Israel’s vulnerability in the north. And he further added that, when it came to Israel’s defense generally, “They’ve got to straighten it out.”

Advertisement

DeSantis went on the offensive within hours. 

In a Wednesday evening tweet, he contended that it was “absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as ‘very smart.’”

The Florida governor remained on the attack through Thursday. He told a Fox News reporter that Trump’s comment taking aim at Netanyahu “makes no sense.”

While filing paperwork for the New Hampshire primary, DeSantis told reporters: “We need to all be on the same page. Now’s not the time to air personal grievances about an Israeli prime minister. Now’s the time to support their right to defend themselves to the hilt.”

Advertisement

The reference to “personal grievances” was interpreted by some as a reference to Trump’s lingering ill-feeling about Netanyahu congratulating President Biden on his election in 2020. 

Netanyahu’s acknowledgment of Biden’s victory came five days after Election Day, while Trump was still furiously insisting the result was in doubt. 

DeSantis was not the only GOP candidate to take aim at Trump’s remarks.

Former Vice President Mike Pence said during a New Hampshire TV appearance that Hezbollah “aren’t smart, they’re evil.”

Advertisement

But it was DeSantis’s remarks that got the most attention.

That’s partly because he remains in second place — albeit a very distant second place — in most polls of the GOP primary.

But it’s also because it is part of a bigger picture in which the Florida governor has proven more willing to take swipes at Trump.

DeSantis accused Trump of being “missing in action” late last month at the second Republican debate, in which the former president again declined to participate.

Advertisement

At the outset of DeSantis’s campaign, his attacks on Trump were far more oblique.

Critics would contend the change has been forced on DeSantis by his downward drift in national polls.

The Florida governor, who was receiving more than 30 percent support in the RealClearPolitics polling average of the GOP race in mid-February, had ticked down to about 13 percent Thursday.

DeSantis’s hold on second place is coming under an increasing challenge from Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who has impressed at debates. Haley’s time as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations also gives her added authority on foreign policy.

Advertisement

Now the question is whether Trump’s remarks give the Florida governor an opening with the Iowa caucuses three months away. 

The Trump campaign defended itself on social media Thursday, writing from its War Room account that “smart does not equal good” and that Trump “was clearly pointing out how incompetent Biden and his administration were by telegraphing to the terrorists an area that is susceptible to an attack.”

The hasty defense may betray some nervousness on the campaign’s part. Feelings are raw, in the United States as well as in Israel, about the brutality of the surprise attack by Hamas on Saturday that killed around 1,200 Israelis. As of Thursday afternoon, more than 1,400 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli reprisals.

Still, for all the sensitivity of the issue, two facts remain salient. 

Advertisement

First, Trump’s polling lead in the GOP primary is enormous — 45 points in the RealClearPolitics national average. Second, the former president has emerged unscathed from controversies on sensitive topics before, going all the way back to his disparaging comments early in his 2016 campaign about the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) being captured during the Vietnam War.

Even some ardent Trump critics question whether this time will really be different.

Trump “ought to just keep his mouth shut,” said Rick Tyler, a GOP consultant who was communications director for Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) 2016 presidential campaign. “But unfortunately, foreign policy rarely makes a difference in Republican primaries.”

John “Mac” Stipanovich, a longtime GOP operative in Florida and a strong Trump critic, called the former president’s comments “stupid.” But he also acknowledged that they might not carry a lasting impact amid a crisis that has taken such a huge human toll.

Advertisement

“What happened in Israel is just so horrific, so awful, that Trump saying something stupid on the margins I don’t think is going to be fatal for him by any means,” Stipanovich said.

Some voices in Israel are in no mood to shrug Trump’s comments off, however.

Shlomo Karhi, Israel’s communications minister, told Israeli television that the former president’s speech was “shameful” because of the way it “abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens.”

​ Violence in Israel and Gaza is impacting the 2024 presidential campaign in an unexpected fashion, after former President Trump sparked controversy with peculiar comments in a speech. Trump’s GOP primary rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, hit the former president hard in the 24 hours that followed, leveling some of his harshest and most direct criticism… 

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT RETURNS FOR ITS 5TH EDITION AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT – HOUSE OF LORDS, PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

Published

on

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Theme: “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation”

London, United Kingdom — The Global Sustainability Summit (GSS) is officially back for its landmark 5th Edition, continuing its legacy as one of the leading international platforms driving sustainable development, climate action, ethical investment, innovation, and global collaboration.

Advertisement

Convened annually at the prestigious British Parliament, House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, by Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto, the Summit has, over the last four years, successfully fostered international dialogue and partnerships that have contributed to the advancement of global sustainability goals, the establishment of sustainability-focused ministries, departments and policy structures across national and subnational governments, and the attraction of major investors into sustainable development projects, corporations and emerging economies.

This year’s summit, themed “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation,” will explore how emerging technologies, responsible leadership, sustainable finance, innovation, and global partnerships can shape a more inclusive, resilient and environmentally conscious future.

The 5th Edition promises to be the most impactful yet, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, diplomats, investors, academics, innovators, climate experts and youth leaders from across the globe to discuss actionable solutions toward achieving a sustainable and equitable future.

Among the distinguished speakers, delegates and honorees already lined up for the Summit are:

• His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq — Executive Governor of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum

• His Excellency Senator Prince Bassey Otu — Executive Governor of Cross River State, Nigeria

Advertisement

• Ambassador Patricia Espinosa Cantellano — Former Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Former Foreign Minister of Mexico

• Lord Marvin Rees, Baron Rees of Easton OBE — Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom

• Hon. Neema K. Lugangira — Secretary-General of Women Political Leaders (WPL), Brussels and Former Member of Parliament

• Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah — President of the Republic of Namibia

• His Excellency Nangolo Mbumba — Former President of Namibia

Advertisement

• Former President of Tanzania

• Her Excellency Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq — First Lady of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairperson of Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum

• Your Excellency Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, PhD, CON — Executive Governor of Katsina State and Chairman of the Northwest Governors Forum, Nigeria

• Hon. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma — Governor of Khomas Region, Namibia

Advertisement

• H.E. Mr. Veiccoh Nghiwete — High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia to the United Kingdom

• Her Excellency Ms. Macenje “Che Che” Mazoka — High Commissioner of Zambia to the United Kingdom

• Ms. Danielle Newman — Partner Lead, ICT, World Economic Forum

• Leanne Elliott Young — Co-founder, Institute of Digital Fashion & CommuneEast

• Ms. Chloe Russell — Producer & Presenter, Art, Science and Nature

Advertisement

• Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger — University of Cambridge & University of Waterloo

• Dr. Alexandra R. Harrington — IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL)

• Professor Payam Akhavan — Massey College, University of Toronto

• Mr. Mallai C. E. Sathya — President, Dravida Vetri Kazhagam and International Movement for Tamil Culture Asia

Advertisement

The Summit will feature high-level panel discussions, strategic investment conversations, sustainability awards, policy dialogues, innovation showcases, youth engagement sessions and international networking opportunities focused on climate resilience, ethical financing, food-water-energy sustainability, circular economy, artificial intelligence, diplomacy and sustainable development.

Speaking ahead of the Summit, Convener Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto noted:

“As the world rapidly evolves through artificial intelligence and technological innovation, we must ensure that sustainability remains people-centered, environmentally responsible and economically inclusive. The Global Sustainability Summit continues to serve as a bridge connecting governments, institutions, innovators and investors to accelerate practical sustainability solutions globally. Our fifth edition is not only a celebration of progress made over the years, but also a renewed call for global collaboration and actionable impact toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Net Zero ambitions.”

The Global Sustainability Summit continues to position itself as a catalyst for transformative partnerships and sustainable global progress, reinforcing the urgent need for collective action toward a more resilient and sustainable future.

More announcements regarding additional speakers, partners and summit activities will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

News

US May Completely Cut Income Tax Due to Tariff Revenue

Published

on

President Donald Trump says the United States might one day get rid of federal income tax because of money the government collects from tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs are extra taxes the U.S. puts on products that come from other countries.

What Trump Is Saying

Trump has said that tariff money could become so large that it might allow the government to cut income taxes “almost completely.” He has also talked about possibly phasing out income tax over the next few years if tariff money keeps going up.

How Taxes Work Now

Right now, the federal government gets much more money from income taxes than from tariffs. Income taxes bring in trillions of dollars each year, while tariffs bring in only a small part of that total. Because of this gap, experts say tariffs would need to grow by many times to replace income tax money.

Questions From Experts

Many economists and tax experts doubt that tariffs alone could pay for the whole federal budget. They warn that very high tariffs could make many imported goods more expensive for shoppers in the United States. This could hit lower- and middle‑income families hardest, because they spend a big share of their money on everyday items.

What Congress Must Do

The president can change some tariffs, but only Congress can change or end the federal income tax. That means any real plan to remove income tax would need new laws passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. So far, there is no detailed law or full budget plan on this idea.

What It Means Right Now

For now, Trump’s comments are a proposal, not a change in the law. People and businesses still have to pay federal income tax under the current rules. The debate over using tariffs instead of income taxes is likely to continue among lawmakers, experts, and voters.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Epstein Files to Be Declassified After Trump Order

Published

on


Former President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to declassify all government files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier whose death in 2019 continues to fuel controversy and speculation.

The order, signed Wednesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, instructs the FBI, Department of Justice, and intelligence agencies to release documents detailing Epstein’s network, finances, and alleged connections to high-profile figures. Trump described the move as “a step toward transparency and public trust,” promising that no names would be shielded from scrutiny.

“This information belongs to the American people,” Trump said in a televised statement. “For too long, powerful interests have tried to bury the truth. That ends now.”

U.S. intelligence officials confirmed that preparations for the release are already underway. According to sources familiar with the process, the first batch of documents is expected to be made public within the next 30 days, with additional releases scheduled over several months.

Reactions poured in across the political spectrum. Supporters praised the decision as a bold act of accountability, while critics alleged it was politically motivated, timed to draw attention during a volatile election season. Civil rights advocates, meanwhile, emphasized caution, warning that some records could expose private victims or ongoing legal matters.

The Epstein case, which implicated figures in politics, business, and entertainment, remains one of the most talked-about scandals of the past decade. Epstein’s connections to influential individuals—including politicians, royals, and executives—have long sparked speculation about the extent of his operations and who may have been involved.

Advertisement

Former federal prosecutor Lauren Fields said the release could mark a turning point in public discourse surrounding government transparency. “Regardless of political stance, this declassification has the potential to reshape how Americans view power and accountability,” Fields noted.

Officials say redactions may still occur to protect sensitive intelligence or personal information, but the intent is a near-complete disclosure. For years, critics of the government’s handling of Epstein’s case have accused agencies of concealing evidence or shielding elites from exposure. Trump’s order promises to change that narrative.

As anticipation builds, journalists, legal analysts, and online commentators are preparing for what could be one of the most consequential information releases in recent history.

Continue Reading

Trending