Trump Blasts Israeli Paper Owned By GOP Megadonor Adelson as ‘Fake News’ For Criticizing His War Comments

Former President Donald Trump spoke to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday and took aim at an Israeli newspaper owned and published by GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson.

Trump sat for an interview last week with two reporters for the pro-Netanyahu paper, senior diplomatic correspondent Ariel Kahana and Omer Lachmanovitch.

The two reporters later wrote in Israel Hayom (Israel Today) that Trump’s message to Israel left them both “shocked” as the GOP’s presumptive 2024 presidential candidate urged Israel to end its war against Hamas immediately.

Hewitt asked Trump about the interview and the following media coverage. “I want to begin with Israel, Mr. President, because Sunday marked six months since October 7th. And you gave an interview recently to Israel Hayom, which was characterized by many on the left as being critical of Israel. Then Jonathan Tobin writes this morning, wait a minute, that’s not right. Trump was the friendliest president ever for Israel. Have you been mischaracterized in your advice to Israel?” asked Hewitt.

“Well, you know with the fake news, you never know what you

’re going to get. You can say something very plainly, and they’ll turn it around. They’ll turn around everything. That’s why they’re fake. And that’s why they’ve been discovered,” Trump replied, taking aim at any and all critical coverage of him – including that of Israel Hayom.

Adelson reportedly set up the interview herself and recently dined with Trump as he begins to ramp up his fundraising ahead of the election. Adelson inherited her $32 billion fortune when her husband, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, died in 2021. The Adelsons had long been power players in the GOP and were the party’s single largest donors in various election cycles, having donated some $500 million between 2010 and 2020. Tel Aviv-born Miriam Adelson, who is also vying for a casino license in New York City, vowed to remain neutral in the 2024 GOP primary — her support would be a much-needed boost to Trump’s campaign finances.

“That’s why they’ve been found to be so, you know, if you look at approval ratings, they’re lower than Congress now, the news. They used to be in the 90s when I started, and now they’re lower than Congress. So I’m very proud of that fact. They’re bad news. Look, Israel should have never happened. If I were president, it would not have happened. Iran was broke. They had no money. They had no nothing. And we would have worked,

a deal with Iran would have been made already. In the meantime, they’re going to have a nuclear weapon within probably 45 or 60 days. And then, it’s going to be a little tougher to talk to them. But October 7th would have never happened. They never, ever would have been attacked,” Trump added in his answer to Hewitt.

Hewitt went on to ask Trump if he still stood behind Israel “100 percent.” Trump never answered the question directly, but doubled down on his instance that Israel has “got to get it over with” in Gaza because they are “ absolutely losing the PR war.”

Read the full transcript of Trump’s interview here.