Donald Trump has launched a fierce attack on Joe Biden over the Israel-Hamas war, accusing the president of bringing 'chaos, bloodshed, war, terror and death'. Speaking at a Club 47 event in Palm Beach, Florida, the former president claimed he was 'the best friend Israel has ever had' and sought to use the conflict to criticise Biden's foreign policy.
Trump's remarks, his most substantial on the war since the Hamas attacks, focused on blaming Biden for the increase in global conflicts. He falsely suggested that $6bn in humanitarian aid unfrozen for Iran had been used to fund Hamas, despite US officials confirming the money remains in a Qatar bank account under US Treasury control.
The former president also criticised Israel's military intelligence and its failure to assist in the US assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020. However, his supporters appeared unfazed by the factual inaccuracies, cheering as he spoke for nearly two hours at the event, which was delayed by an hour.
Meanwhile, Trump's influence on the Republican Party faced scrutiny after his endorsed candidate for House Speaker, Jim Jordan, lost to Steve Scalise in an internal GOP contest. The event also saw Florida congressman Matt Gaetz cancel his appearance, having triggered the ousting of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker.
