The Republican US presidential candidate has commented on Kamala Harris not choosing Josh Shapiro
US Vice President Kamala Harris did not pick Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate because he’s Jewish, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed.
Although Shapiro was considered the favorite, Harris ended up picking Minnesota Governor Tim Walz instead.
“Everyone thought it was going to be Shapiro, it turned out not to be Shapiro,” Trump said on Fox News on Wednesday. “I have very little doubt that it was not for the reason we’re talking about. It was because of the fact that he’s Jewish and they think they’re going to offend somebody else.”
“I think there were other people better than him, I know them all. But I was shocked when it came to the final two and she didn’t pick Shapiro,” he added.
The ‘progressive’ faction of the Democrats had pushed back against Shapiro, citing his advocacy of Israel and criticism of pro-Palestinian student protests across the US. Some critics dubbed him “Genocide Josh” – echoing the “Genocide Joe” moniker given to President Biden – while others pointed to potential problems a Harris-Shapiro ticket would have garnering Muslim, Arab and Palestinian-American voters in key swing states.
“You wouldn’t feel very comfortable if you’re Israel right now with this team,” Trump told Fox News. “This is the worst team ever assembled for a Jewish person or for Israel.”
“They are so bad to Jewish people – what they’ve done and the way they talk and their policy and everything else,” he added.
During his 2017-2021 presidency, Trump openly supported Israel, recognizing its annexation of the occupied Golan Heights and relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem, among other things. He has repeatedly said that any Jews who vote for Democrats “should have their head examined.” In the 2020 election, however, an estimated 70% of American Jews voted for Biden.
The Biden-Harris White House has supplied weapons and ammunition to Israel, while demanding a ceasefire and negotiations with Hamas, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.
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