While speaking about the dispute between Israel and Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN), President Trump on Tuesday said any Jewish person who votes for Democrats shows “a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”
While speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump said he didn’t blame Israel for initially not allowing Tlaib and Omar to visit the country—saying the representatives “hate Israel and hate Jewish people” and claiming they wanted to go on a “propaganda tour against Israel.”
The president also rejected the notion of cutting off aid to Israel, and said he couldn’t “believe that we’re having this conversation.” He continued: “Where has the Democratic party gone? Where have they gone, where they’re defending these two people over the state of Israel?” Trump asked reporters. “And I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”
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Tlaib and Omar were scheduled to visit the country in a tour organized by a Palestinian group, but were barred from entering the country last week. Trump previously tweeted that Israel would be showing “great weakness” if they allowed the Congresswomen in. After Israel decided to let Tlaib so she could visit her family in the West Bank, she decided not to go.