Las Vegas, NV:Former US President Donald Trump, in a speech at the annual summit of the Republican Jewish Coalition, pledged to reimpose the controversial travel ban that targeted predominantly Muslim countries if he is re-elected.
“We will keep radical Islamic terrorists out of our country,” Trump declared to the audience, referring to the travel ban. “On day one, I will reinstate our travel ban.”
During the early days of his presidency in 2017, Trump implemented extensive restrictions on travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and initially, Iraq and Sudan. The order faced legal challenges for religious discrimination, but it resonated with his base due to Trump’s hardline stance on immigration.
President Joe Biden overturned the ban during his first week in office in 2021, with the White House referring to it as a “vile, un-American Muslim ban” enacted by Trump’s predecessor.
At the same event in Las Vegas, Trump expressed strong support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas, describing it as a “fight between civilization and savagery, between decency and depravity, and between good and evil.” Trump’s remarks garnered a warm response from the audience. However, he refrained from criticizing his political rivals and targeted the Biden administration instead.
Other Republican figures present at the gathering, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, raised concerns about rising anti-Semitism on US college campuses and proposed measures to combat it, including potentially canceling visas for pro-Palestinian foreign students.
The event also saw former vice president Mike Pence announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, making him the first major candidate to suspend his campaign.
Support for Israel remains a prominent issue for both US political parties, with strong backing from Jewish voters and evangelical Christians who view the existence of a Jewish state as a significant factor in their religious beliefs.
