Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) slammed former President Donald Trump on Sunday for praising Iran-backed terrorist group, Hezbollah, calling it a “huge mistake.”
Trump, the leading candidate for the GOP nomination for president, called the Hezbollah terrorist group “very smart” at a campaign rally in Florida last week.
“Yeah, that was a huge mistake. If I were President Trump, I talk about being the strongest president for Israel in modern times,” Graham said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday.
Graham also joined other Republicans condemning Trump for criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he “let us down” before the US air strike that killed top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
“I thought it was not helpful,” Graham said. “President Trump has done a lot– he recognized Israel, Jerusalem as the capital. He recognized Golan Heights as part of Israel. He put in place Abraham Accords. That’s what I would say.”
“No, I wouldn’t criticize Bibi,” Graham added.
Israel’s communications minister, Shlomo Karhi slammed Trump over his comments last week.
Karhi told Israel’s Channel 13 that it was “shameful that a man like that, a former U.S. president, abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens,” the Associated press reported. “We don’t have to bother with him and the nonsense he spouts.”
Asked if Trump’s comments make it clear that he can’t be relied on, Karhi replied, “Obviously.”
