Donald Trump Calling Hezbollah 'Smart' Sparks Backlash

Donald Trump has been criticized for calling the Lebanese Islamist militant group Hezbollah "very smart" after it launched a missile attack on Israel.

The former president made the remarks on Wednesday, while delivering a speech in Palm Beach, Florida, after Hezbollah fired missiles into an Israeli military base from the northern border on Monday. Israel subsequently shelled Hezbollah.

The attacks between Israel and Lebanon took place after Hamas, another Iran-backed Islamist militant group, launched a large-scale incursion into Israel on Saturday, the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on the country in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest ever airstrikes on Gaza.

As of Thursday, at least 1,200 people had been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported, citing the Israeli military. At least 1,200 people had been killed in Gaza, according to authorities there, the AP said.

Hezbollah and Hamas have been designated as terrorist groups by the U.S.

Speaking to his supporters, Trump suggested that Hezbollah was "very smart" for fighting missiles into northern Israel while appearing to criticize U.S. defense officials from the Biden administration for giving them the idea to do so in an October 9 briefing. The remarks are the latest example of the former president praising adversaries of the U.S., having previously complimented China's President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un.

The former president said: "Can you imagine national defense people. And they said, 'Gee, I hope Hezbollah doesn't attack from the north, because that's the most vulnerable spot.' And I said wait a minute, you know, Hezbollah is very smart. They're very smart."

Trump went on to note how the press "killed" him for previously praising President Xi, before again saying Hezbollah had been "very smart" to attack Israel from the north.

"Hezbollah are very smart, and they [Biden administration] have a National Defense minister saying 'I hope Hezbollah doesn't attack us from the north.' So the following morning, they attacked," Trump added. "They might not have been doing it, but if you listen to this jerk, you would attack from the north because he said that's our weak spot."

In a statement, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates called Trump's remarks "dangerous and unhinged."

"It's completely lost on us why any American would ever praise an Iran-backed terrorist organization as 'smart.' Or have any objection to the United States warning terrorists not to attack Israel. Especially now as Israel is fighting back against one of the worst acts of mass murder in the country's history," Bates told Newsweek.

"This is a time for all of us to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel against 'unadulterated evil.' That's what the president is doing as commander in chief."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is considered Trump's main rival in the 2024 presidential primary but massively trails him in the polls, also condemned the former president's remarks.

"Terrorists have murdered at least 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans and are holding more hostages, so it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as 'very smart,'" DeSantis posted on X, formerly Twitter.

"As President, I will stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are."

In response, Trump's campaign team claimed that DeSantis was taking the remarks out of context.

"President Trump was clearly pointing out how incompetent Biden and his administration were by telegraphing to the terrorists an area that is susceptible to an attack," The Trump War Room account posted.

"Smart does not equal good. It just proves Biden is stupid. And now you look stupid, Ron."

Trump's office has been contacted for further comment via email.

Others also criticized Trump for the "very smart" remarks, while suggesting Hezbollah was always likely to attack Israel from the north seeing as that is where Lebanon is located.

Max Boot, a Washington Post columnist and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, posted: "Trump is arguing that Hezbollah got the idea of attacking Israel from the north because Biden told them not to do that and therefore revealed Israel's weak spot. Umm, Hezbollah is based north of Israel. Where else would they attack from? The south?"

Florida-based attorney Aaron Parnas said: "Tonight, Donald Trump attacked Israel and called Hezbollah 'very smart.' This week over 1,200 Israelis have died as a result of terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Trump's comments are disqualifying, antisemitic, and horrendous."

Matt Whitlock, a GOP communicator, wrote: "The best defense Trump's paid tweeters can come up with here is saying he was 'joking' about Hezbollah being 'very smart.' He's not joking here—he goes out of his way to praise *Hezbollah terrorists* while criticizing the leadership of our closest ally who just got attacked."

Mike Madrid, a Latino Republican consultant and author, added: "Trump praising Hezbollah may not weaken him in the primary but this will hurt him come next November."

Elsewhere during his speech in Florida, Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and claimed he "let us down" for allegedly not supporting the U.S. in its decision to kill Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a January 2020 air strike.

Trump claimed that Israel was originally supportive of the attack, but then received a call to state that they wouldn't take part. The former president's claim, which he has not made until now, hasn't been verified.

"But I'll never forget," Trump said. "I'll never forget that Bibi Netanyahu let us down. That was a very terrible thing."

10/12/2023: This article ahs been updated with comment from the White House.