A selectively cropped video left former President Donald Trump framed as an enemy of Israel in a new low to viral politicking.
It didn’t take AI or deep fakes to smear the president’s sterling reputation as a stalwart supporter of Israel, merely the removal of context in a dubious video that began circulating online. In fact, even the Associated Press saw fit to set the record straight after the words of radical leftist Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) were framed as Trump’s own.
The video, being proffered as cause to show support for Palestine after Hamas savagely attacked the people of Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and taking scores hostage, featured the then-president at a 2019 Minnesota campaign rally where he said, “Israel has hypnotized the world. May Allah awaken the people and help them to see the evil-doings of Israel and the United States.”
#Israel has hypnotized the world. May Allah awaken the people and help them to see the evil doings of Israel, Donald Trump#IsraelPalestineWar | #Palestine pic.twitter.com/D97uk5Fe8r
— Abdullah Qamar (@AbdullahQamarr) October 9, 2023
Though the part about the United States was added by Trump, the AP noted, “Trump was quoting and criticizing a since-deleted 2012 post by Rep. Ilhan Omar at a 2019 campaign rally the former president held in Minnesota, but that context has been edited out of the footage to make it seem like the words are his own opinion.”
With hashtags for Gaza, Palestine and Israel, Somalian-born Omar had shared her take some six years before she was elected to Congress.
In 2019, Omar spoke to her post and wrote, “It’s now apparent to me that I spent lots of energy putting my 2012 tweet in context and little energy is disavowing the anti-semitic trope I unknowingly used, which is unfortunate and offensive.”
“With that said, it is important to distinguish between criticizing a military action by a government and attacking a particular people of faith,” she added continuing to defend her position. “I will not shy away of criticism of any government when I see injustice–whether it be Saudi Arabia, Somalia, even our own government!”
With that said, it is important to distinguish between criticizing a military action by a government and attacking a particular people of faith.
I will not shy away of criticism of any government when I see injustice —whether it be Saudi Arabia, Somalia, even our own government!
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
Her hollow statements then thudded home once more this week as she spoke out against Israel’s right to defend itself.
“Palestinians have few resources for justice and accountability. Attacks by the IDF and settlers against Palestinians are regularly met with impunity,” she posted on X just two days after the attack in Israel. “Efforts to seek justice in international courts are stonewalled by the Israeli government, with U.S. support. As the world is condemning Hamas’s attacks, we must also oppose an Israeli military response that has already taken the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, including nearly two dozen children.”
As the world is condemning Hamas’s attacks, we must also oppose an Israeli military response that has already taken the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, including nearly two dozen children.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 9, 2023
Taken in full context, Trump tore into Omar after slamming then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for giving “control of the Democrat party entirely over to the radical left.”
“‘Congresswoman’ Omar is an America-hating socialist. She minimized the September 11th attack on our homeland where far more than 3,000 people died, saying, ‘Some people did something, big deal. Some people did something.’ She pleaded for compassion for ISIS recruits right here in Minnesota,” he remarked. “Omar laughed that Americans speak of Al-Qaeda — you remember that tape? — speak of Al-Qaeda”
“But when we say something about the United States, you just don’t say America with any intensity. Remember that? Representative Omar has a history of launching virulent anti-semitic screeds, whether you like it or not,” the president added as he appeared to be addressing members of the media directly. “She’s said the US support for Israel is all about the Benjamins. She said that pro-Israel lawmakers have an allegiance to a foreign country. Omar wrote that Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them to see the evil doing of Israel and the United States.”
“How do you have such a person representing you in Minnesota?” he asked before slamming Omar as “a disgrace to our country.”