Speaker Johnson told the Washington Reporter minutes after Israel struck terror targets in Qatar that his support for Israel remains unchanged.
The highest levels of American government are unanimous in their opposition to a “Palestinian” state — recognizing the reality that in all of history, such a country has never existed.
Shortly after Israel struck directly at Hamas targets in Qatar, Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) responded to a question from the Washington Reporter about a GOP leadership stakeout about what comes next in the Middle East — and the pro-Israel lawmaker was unequivocal.
“Hamas has to be eradicated,” Johnson said. Minutes before, Johnson ruled out any recognition of a state of “Palestine,” adding that “rewarding the carnage that took place on October 7th is unacceptable.”
Johnson’s position puts him squarely in line with that of President Donald Trump, who spoke to the United Nations earlier this week. Trump also met one-on-one with French President Emmanuel Macron, and explained to the French leader why it was a grave mistake for western countries like France to recognize a country that has never existed.
“I’m on the side of Israel, I’ve been on the side of Israel really my whole life,” Trump said
Recognizing a fake country like “Palestine,” Trump explained, “honor Hamas, and you just can’t do that.”
“We want our hostages back, and we don’t want them back in ones and twos and take the next two years to do it,” Trump said. “You can’t honor [Hamas] doing anything like you suggest…People forget October 7th was one of the most savage days in the history of the world. There’s never been anything like that. We’re talking about babies being sliced in half. You’re talking about young children having their heads chopped off. You can’t forget that.”
Trump’s remarks earned praise from outlets that have been skeptics of his at time, like National Review, whose Philip Klein praised Trump for his “moral clarity.”