Trump ally Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) dumped on the Israel-Hamas deal being promoted by President Donald Trump, framing it as “negotiating with terrorists.”
The president took care to be the first to announce a peace deal between Israel and Hamas Wednesday that includes the return of all Israeli hostages taken during the October 7 attack.
But on Thursday’s edition of Fox & Friends First, Van Orden — whom Trump has endorsed — took exception with a provision in the deal, telling co-host Brian Kilmeade he’s “not a fan” of the proposed prisoner release:
FOX NEWS HOST BRIAN KILMEADE: This guy Marwan Barghouti, who’s been in jail. He was a Palestinian Authority member.He seems to be the symbol that they want out. Not nobody ever– nobody thinks he’s a member of Hamas.He talked about a two-state solution. The Israelis are reluctant to let him ou.t Do you have a sense of of what we should do or what they should do there?CONGRESSMAN DERRICK VAN ORDEN (R-WI): I think what the Israeli government needs to do is make sure that the members of Hamas adhere to these provisions. It’s pretty simple.So the amount of people that the Israelis are going to have to release to get their hostages back is just remarkable. And this is their decision–FOX NEWS HOST BRIAN KILMEADE: 1,975, including 250 on death
row.CONGRESSMAN DERRICK VAN ORDEN (R-WI): That’s correct. And Brian, honestly, I disagree with this strategy, but this is the Israeli government’s decision to get their people back.I am not a fan of negotiating with terrorists. These people are terrorists. That’s who they are yesterday. That’s who they are going to be today and tomorrow.So the Israeli government collectively has made a decision to give their people backing. I can respect that, but I respectfully disagree with it.
Watch above via Fox & Friends First.