Trump Condemned For Attack On Obama At AIPAC

GOP Frontrunner Slammed by Organization He Was Attempting to Woo

Monday Donald Trump delivered his first formal policy speech, and received a condemnation from the very organization he was trying to impress. The GOP frontrunner spoke before a lobbying group known as AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, but made inappropriate remarks about President Barack Obama.

The U.S. President “may be the worst thing that ever happened to Israel, believe me, believe me,” Trump told the large crowd, claiming the Obama White House has treated Israel “very, very badly.” Some in the crowd applauded Trump’s attacks.

On Tuesday morning, AIPAC President Lillian Pinkus delivered a written statement from the stage, rebuking Trump’s attack.

“Last evening something occurred which has the potential to drive us apart, to divide us,” Pinkus said in Washington, as The Hill first reported. “We say, unequivocally, that we do not countenance ad hominem attacks and we take great offense against those that are levied against the president of the United States of America from our stage.” 

“While we may have policy differences, we deeply respect the office of the United States and our president, Barack Obama,” she said, reportedly to “resounding applause.”

“There are people in our AIPAC family who were deeply hurt last night and for that we are deeply sorry,” Pinkus continued. “We are disappointed that so many people applauded a sentiment that we neither agree with or condone.”

Trump also cheered the upcoming end to President Obama’s eight years in office, as this clip shows:

Trump received applause many times during his speech, because, as Vox reports, he “hit all the right notes for a pro-Israel audience,” but “didn’t quite succeed” at sealing the deal.

UPDATE: Full statement –

 

 

Image: Screenshot via CBSN/YouTube