By SCHNECKSVILLE, Pa. — “Genocide Joe” is a phrase used by pro-Palestine protesters against President Biden because of his unconditional support of Israel amid its onslaught in Gaza.
But supporters of former president Donald Trump adopted the chant at his campaign rally Saturday night — even as Trump similarly pledged unconditional support of Israel hours after Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes into the country this weekend.
Supporters began to chant “genocide Joe, genocide Joe,” as Trump spoke from a stage in a large field at the Schnecksville fire hall.
Trump paused before saying: “They’re not wrong, they’re not wrong. He’s done everything wrong.”
Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles toward Israel on Saturday, most of which were intercepted by Israel, the United States and their allies. The assault, in retaliation for Israel’s attack on an Iranian diplomatic facility two weeks ago, has been widely condemned by world leaders including Biden, who pledged “ironclad” support for Israeli security.
It’s unclear what exactly Trump’s rallygoers intended by chanting “genocide Joe,” a phrase deployed by some Arab American and Muslim voters as well as progressives, who have criticized Biden for continuing to send weapons to Israel as its military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its war in the enclave after Hamas militants rampaged through the Israel-Gaza border fence on Oct. 7 and killed an estimated 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took about 250 others hostage.
Democratic voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and other states have organized efforts to vote “uncommitted” or “uninstructed” in their states’ primaries instead of for Biden as a warning to the president that he could lose their votes in November if he does not call for a permanent cease-fire and end military aid to Israel.
Congressional Republicans have urged more U.S. support for Israel, although the Republican-controlled House has yet to take up a bill passed months ago in the Democratic-controlled Senate that would send aid to Israel along with Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific.
Trump kicked off his Saturday rally by claiming the attack from Iran “would not have happened” if he were president, though he did not explain how he would have prevented it.
“I want to say God bless the people of Israel. They’re under attack right now,” he said. “We show great weakness.”
In the final days of Trump’s presidency in 2020, Iran attacked a U.S. base in Iraq, with dozens of soldiers suffering traumatic brain injuries as a result.