WASHINGTON — Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump suggested on Friday that Israel should strike Iran’s nuclear facilities in response to recent missile attacks by the Islamic Republic.
Speaking at a campaign event in North Carolina, Trump referenced a question posed to President Joe Biden earlier in the week about whether Israel should target Iran’s nuclear program.
“They asked him, what do you think about Iran, would you hit Iran? And he goes, ‘As long as they don’t hit the nuclear stuff.’ That’s the thing you want to hit, right?” Trump remarked during a town hall event in Fayetteville, near a major U.S. military base.
When asked on Wednesday whether he would support attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, Biden said, “The answer is no.”
Trump disagreed, saying, “I think he’s got that one wrong. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to hit? I mean, it’s the biggest risk we have, nuclear weapons.”
He continued, “When they asked him that question, the answer should have been, hit the nuclear first, and worry about the rest later. If they’re going to do it, they’re going to do it. But we’ll find out whatever their plans are.”
Biden, responding to the recent barrage of nearly 200 Iranian missiles fired toward Israel, reiterated on Wednesday that he opposed strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself, but added that “they should respond in proportion.”
While Trump has not frequently addressed the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East, he recently issued a statement blaming Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the ongoing crisis.