Who is Wayne Allyn Root, the Radio Host Trump Quoted to Declare Himself ‘King of Israel’?
President Donald Trump blasted out a series of tweets on Wednesday morning defending himself against charges of anti-Semitism. In one of the tweets, he quoted someone who said he was like “King of Israel.”
That was weird enough. It’s made even weirder when you learn that the person Trump is quoting — right wing pundit Wayne Allyn Root — is a rampant and weird conspiracy theorist. He is also, as many on social media have pointed out, a self-described “Jew turned evangelical Christian.”
“President Trump is the greatest President for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world, not just America, he is the best President for Israel in the history of the world,” Trump quoted Root as saying, “and the Jewish people in Israel love him like he’s the King of Israel. They love him like he is the second coming of God.
“But American Jews don’t know him or like him. They don’t even know what they’re doing or saying anymore,” Root added.
“Wow!” Trump reacted, thanking Root for the kind words.
“Thank you to Wayne Allyn Root for the very nice words. “President Trump is the greatest President for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world, not just America, he is the best President for Israel in the history of the world…and the Jewish people in Israel love him….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2019
….like he’s the King of Israel. They love him like he is the second coming of God…But American Jews don’t know him or like him. They don’t even know what they’re doing or saying anymore. It makes no sense! But that’s OK, if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s good for…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2019
…..all Jews, Blacks, Gays, everyone. And importantly, he’s good for everyone in America who wants a job.” Wow! @newsmax @foxandfriends @OANN
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2019
Root is a host on Newsmax, the flagging television network of Trump pal Chris Ruddy. He has long been a staunch ally of the president, and last year spoke at one of his rallies.
Root is also a rampant conspiracy theorist. In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, in which gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on a music festival and killed 58, Root baselessly declared: “Clearly coordinated Muslim terror attack. PRAY for our Vegas police. PRAY for victims. VERY bad. Awful.”
This is real thing. Clearly coordinated Muslim terror attack. PRAY for our Vegas police. PRAY for victims. VERY bad. Awful.
— Wayne Allyn Root (@RealWayneRoot) October 2, 2017
Root refused to back down from the provably false conspiracy theory, and has since repeatedly claimed without any evidence that ISIS carried out the attack. The false tweet remains up on Twitter.
According to Right Wing Watch, which has chronicled Root’s extensive dalliance with nutcasery, the pundit has also pushed the conspiracy theory that Seth Rich was murdered at the command of Democratic officials; promoted birtherism and claimed Barack Obama is a Muslim; claimed Obama and Hillary Clinton had gay relationships; and said that Robert Mueller is “a little pervert” driven by “penis envy”.
Root is also fond of declaring Trump a messiah for Jews. In an opinion piece for Fox News after Trump’s election, Root argued: “Donald is our first Jewish president.”
“Donald is a lifelong New York businessman, who made his fortune in real estate. You can’t get more Jewish than that,” he reasoned.
