Trump seeks to capitalize on Biden's frustration with Israel's Netanyahu

Former President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through the Jewish American community and Washington when he said Jews who vote Democrat "hate Israel."

It's not the first time Trump has dabbled in what critics say are anti-Semitic tropes, but the extreme rhetoric reflects how Trump is trying to drive a wedge between Jewish American voters and Democrats.

"The idea is that if Jews care about Israel, they're going to want to go for the strongest supporter," said Norman Ornstein, a senior fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. But Republicans "failed in those efforts before. They haven't really cracked the nut that they wanted to."

A large majority of American Jews are Democrats or tend to vote for Democrats, but Trump has repeatedly questioned their loyalty to Israel.His recent criticism dovetails with Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza that has killed more than 31,000 people.

The Biden administration, initially a strong supporter of the Israeli action that followed the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed some 1,200 people, has recently become more critical of the Israeli leadership.

Republicans see this as a potential wedge issue to appeal to Jewish voters.

A 'sugar-high' for Israelis

During his administration, Trump often cited the work he did on behalf of Israel, including moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

"Unlike other presidents, I keep my promises," he told Jewish American supporters at the Republican Jewish Coalition's Annual Leadership Meeting in 2019, adding: "We got you something that you wanted."

Under Trump, the U.S. also recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and declared international law does not prohibit civilian settlements in the West Bank.

Trump created a kind of "sugar