During a speech at a Republican Jewish convention on Saturday, Donald Trump made a promise to reinstate a controversial travel ban if he is re-elected. He referred to the ban and said, “You remember the travel ban? On day one I will restore our travel ban.” This ban was originally implemented at the beginning of Trump’s presidency in 2017 and targeted several predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Sudan. While it faced legal challenges for being discriminatory, it garnered support from Trump’s base due to his strict anti-immigration stance.
However, President Joe Biden reversed this ban in his first week in office in 2021. A spokesman from the White House stated that Biden was proud to overturn what he considered a discriminatory and un-American Muslim ban put in place by his predecessor.
During the convention in Las Vegas, attended by influential Jewish donors, Trump and other Republican candidates expressed their unwavering support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas. Trump specifically emphasized his dedication to defending Israel, proclaiming that he would do so like no one else has before.
