Trump vows to reinstate travel ban, targets Gaza refugees at Washington event

Former President Donald Trump has announced plans to reinstate his controversial travel ban that originally barred individuals from several predominantly Muslim countries, expanding it to include refugees from war-torn Gaza.

Speaking at an event in Washington alongside Republican donor Miriam Adelson, Trump stated, “I will ban refugee resettlement from terror infested areas like the Gaza Strip, and we will seal our border and bring back the travel ban.” He further emphasized, “Remember the famous travel ban? We didn’t take people from certain areas of the world. We’re not taking them from infested countries,” Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This policy was one of the hallmark measures of Trump’s presidency, first implemented shortly after he took office, leading to significant turmoil at airports and widespread protests. Although the initial ban faced legal challenges, adjustments to the policy eventually resulted in its approval by the US Supreme Court, which dismissed allegations of targeting Muslims.

Trump’s remarks were part of a broader effort to connect with Jewish voters ahead of the November election against Vice President Kamala Harris. He highlighted his support for Israel, asserting that it should translate into increased backing from Jewish Americans. Throughout his speech, he expressed frustration over polls indicating that a majority of Jewish voters supported Harris, suggesting that such support could lead to a loss for him: “There’s no way that I should be getting 40% of the vote — I’m the one who is protecting you.”

At one point, Trump went so far as to suggest that Israel should take action against Harris, declaring, “More than any people on Earth, Israel has to defeat her.” He warned that Israel’s existence could depend on his electoral victory, stating, “If I don’t win, I believe Israel will be eradicated.”

Trump has faced criticism for comments suggesting that American Jews must support the Israeli government without question. Earlier this year, he controversially claimed that Jewish Democrats were “hating” their religion and Israel. In a July radio interview, he made headlines for attacking Harris and her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, calling him a “crappy Jew,” to which he responded affirmatively.

Following Trump’s speech, Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, condemned his statements. She said, “Trump continues to label Jews who don’t support him as disloyal and crazy, to play into dangerous dual loyalty tropes, and to blame Jews for a potential electoral loss. At the same time, he continues to normalize antisemitic extremism.”

A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 65% of Jewish registered voters support or lean toward Harris, while 34% favor Trump. The ongoing conflict in Gaza poses a political challenge for Harris, as she seeks to balance her support for Israel with empathy for Palestinian suffering, a sentiment increasingly echoed by younger and progressive voters critical of President Biden’s stance on the issue.