At the Republican Jewish Convention on Saturday, former US President Donald Trump pledged to reinstate the controversial “Muslim” travel ban if he returns to power.
During his presidency, Trump implemented restrictions on citizens from predominantly Muslim countries. He stated, “You remember the travel ban? On day one, I will restore our travel ban” .
Trump also added, “We will keep radical Islamic terrorists out of our country,” while addressing attendees at the annual summit of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
The travel ban originally restricted travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Sudan from entering the United States. Trump introduced these extensive restrictions in 2017, but President Joe Biden overturned them in the first week of his term in office.
Although the travel ban faced legal challenges for being perceived as discriminatory against a religious community, it was favored by Trump’s supporters due to his strict anti-immigration stance and the associated restrictions.
In 2021, when reversing Trump’s policy, President Biden was quoted as saying he was “proud to overturn the vile, un-American Muslim ban enacted by his predecessor,” as stated by a White House spokesperson.
During the convention, the former US president, along with other Republican candidates, promised unwavering support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas, addressing a gathering of influential Jewish benefactors.
Trump, speaking at the event in Nevada, pledged to “defend our friend and ally in the state of Israel like nobody has ever.”
In recent news, Trump garnered attention for referring to the Lebanon-based Islamist group Hezbollah as “very smart” and expressing some criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.