Trump will crush pro-Palestinian protests if he becomes president.

Former president and White House contender Donald Trump told donors he would crush pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses if he became president, the Guardian reported.

He described the demonstrations against Israel's war in Gaza as a "radical revolution" and promised Jewish donors he would set the movement back 25 or 30 years if they helped him run against Joe Biden in November's presidential election.

"If you support me for reelection, we're going to set this movement back 25 or 30 years," Trump said as quoted by The Washington Post.

 

Trump also said his administration would expel any foreign students found to be participating in the protests. He commended the actions of the New York police in clearing encampments at Columbia University, suggesting that other cities should follow suit to halt the protests immediately.

Republicans have increasingly framed campus protests as a broader issue, portraying them as a symbol of disorder under Joe Biden's leadership. Congressional Republicans have conducted hearings to highlight reports of antisemitism among protesters and criticize university presidents for their handling of the demonstrations.

During the recent hearing, GOP members scrutinized the presidents of Northwestern and Rutgers universities for negotiating the dismantling of encampments instead of involving law enforcement, as advocated by Trump.

In remarks to donors, Trump appeared to shift his stance on Israel's offensive in Gaza, expressing support for Israel's right to continue its "war on terror" after months of ambivalence. He had previously suggested that Israel was losing the public relations battle due to its actions in Gaza.

Trump emphasized his administration's policies towards Israel, including the decision to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem and the recognition of Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights. However, he did not mention Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, whom he reportedly resents for acknowledging Biden's victory in the 2020 election and with whom he has not spoken since.

During the donor meeting, Trump boasted about his support for Israel but did not directly address Netanyahu. Instead, he highlighted his administration's actions regarding Israel, such as moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.