Former President Donald Trump has sparked controversy once again with his comments about deporting pro-Palestinian student demonstrators if he were to return to the White House in November. Speaking at a roundtable event in New York, Trump told campaign donors that he would throw out any student who protests, stating, “As soon as they hear that, they’re going to behave.”
The remarks come in the wake of protests on US college campuses following the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas. Trump promised a crackdown on the demonstrations, which he referred to as a “radical revolution” that he vowed to defeat. He praised the efforts of the New York Police Department in clearing protests at Columbia University and called for nationwide protests to be “stopped now.”
The former president also expressed support for Israel’s actions in the conflict, stating that it is time to “get back to peace and stop killing people.” Republican donors have reportedly lobbied Trump to take a stronger stance backing Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
As the Biden administration faces pressure to condemn Netanyahu for recent airstrikes on Palestinians, Trump’s comments have reignited the debate over US policy in the Middle East. The Independent has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment on the reports.
The controversy surrounding Trump’s remarks highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the differing perspectives on how to address the situation.