Trump's Hezbollah, "Israel" comments 'dangerous, unhinged': WH
2 Min Read
White House Spokesman Andrew Bates says he found fault in Donald Trump's appraisal of Hezbollah.
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Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, at Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fla (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
The White House on Thursday condemned former US President Donald Trump's comments regarding the war on Gaza as "dangerous and unhinged"
"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"," spokesman Andrew Bates said in a social media post.
We don't comment on 2024.
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) October 12, 2023
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
Bates emphasized the importance of continuing to support "Israel" as it confronts what he called "one of the worst acts of mass murder in the country's history."
"That's what the President is doing as commander in chief," Bates stated.
Read more: Hezbollah says US sending aircraft carrier over 'Israel' weakness
At a Club 47 USA event in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump remarked that Hezbollah is "very smart," in reference to the resistance's actions against Israeli aggression along Lebanon's southern border.
Trump also discussed President Joe Biden's "security people" and "national defense people" in the context of Israeli attacks on Gaza.
"I hope Hezbollah doesn't attack from the North because that's the most vulnerable spot... so the following morning they attack", Trump said, adding: "If you listen to this jerk, you would attack from the North because he said that's our weak spot".
However, it is not clear whether he meant Biden was the "jerk" or one of the "security people".
He additionally said that the United States "stands with Israel 100%" on the condition that he wins the US presidential election in 2024.
Read more: Israeli security official: incident in the north is a 'game-changer'
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
