White House calls Trump’s comments on Hezbollah, Israeli defense minister ‘dangerous’
FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump, former U.S. president and Republican presidential candidate, looks on at the Club 47 USA event in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments calling Hezbollah « smart » and criticizing Israel’s defense minister were « dangerous and unhinged, » White House spokesman Andrew Bates said on Thursday.
« 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,' » Bates said.
Trump, who is seeking to run against President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, in comments to supporters in Florida Wednesday night, said Hezbollah was « very smart » and called Defense Minister Yoav Gallant « a jerk. »
