Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Trump launches overnight attack on ‘highly overrated Jewish governor’ Josh Shapiro

Posting on Truth Social in the middle of the night, Trump also wildly claimed he ‘has done more for Israel than any person’

Rhian Lubin
Friday 23 August 2024 08:52 BST
Comments
Josh Shapiro told the DNC that Trump ‘isn’t offering freedom at all’ to the American people

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump launched a blistering middle-of-the-night attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro branding him “the highly overrated Jewish Governor”.

The Republican presidential nominee’s rant appeared to have been provoked by Shapiro’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, where he hit out at Trump saying that he “isn’t offering freedom at all” to the American people.

Shapiro, who had been on the shortlist to become Kamala Harris’s running mate in the presidential election, told the convention on Wednesday night: “It’s not freedom to tell our children what books they’re allowed to read. It’s not freedom to tell women what they can do with their bodies.

“And, hear me on this, it sure as hell isn’t freedom to say you can go vote, but he gets to pick the winner.”

Taking to Truth Social after the DNC closed out for the day, Trump fired back at Shapiro while claiming that he himself “has done more for Israel than any person.”

“The highly overrated Jewish Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, made a really bad and poorly delivered speech talking about freedom and fighting for Comrade Kamala Harris for President, yet she hates Israel,” he said, pushing one of his repeated baseless attacks.

Shapiro (seen at the DNC) was on the shortlist to be Kamala Harris’s running mate in the presidential election
Shapiro (seen at the DNC) was on the shortlist to be Kamala Harris’s running mate in the presidential election (REUTERS)

“Yet Shapiro, for strictly political reasons, refused to acknowledge that I am the best friend that Israel, and the Jewish people, ever had. I have done more for Israel than any President, and frankly, I have done more for Israel than any person”.

On Thursday morning, Shapiro hit back at Trump’s comments, describing them as “antisemitic tropes”.

“First off, it’s clear over the last few weeks that Donald Trump is obsessed with me and obsessed with continuing to spew hate and division in our politics,” he told reporters.

“He’s someone who has routinely peddled antisemitic tropes like this. Remember, he’s the guy who wanted Doug Mastriano to have this job. He’s the guy who has been repeatedly rejected by the voters of Pennsylvania, he himself lost in 2020.

“All of [Trump’s] handpicked candidates have lost, and I think he’s heading for another loss this time to Kamala Harris.”

Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago last month
Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago last month (AP)

Trump has previously baselessly claimed that it was “very insulting to Jewish people” that Harris chose Tim Walz as her running mate – rather than Shapiro. Harris’s own husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, is Jewish.

He has also made other wild claims about the Israel Gaza conflict including claiming there would be a world war in the Middle East if he does not return to the White House this November.

“If we win, it’ll be very simple. It’s all going to work out, and very quickly. If we don’t, you’re going to end up with major wars in the Middle East, and maybe a third world war,” he said as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago last month.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in