Vice President JD Vance resurrected one of President Trump’s memorable jabs Thursday, joking about a “Palestinian” lawmaker while taking aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) over both the ongoing government shutdown and the newly announced Middle East peace deal.
“The reason we’re here is because the president actually charted a different course with a different team,” Vance said, alluding to special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been deeply involved in the latest round of negotiations.
“Obviously the president of the United States, a New York real estate billionaire, one of the most famous New Yorkers in the world, has a lot of interaction with a lot of people who are very pro-Israel,” the vice president continued.
“He also, of course, knew one of the most famous Palestinians in the world, Chuck Schumer,” Vance ribbed, drawing laughter from the audience.
Schumer didn’t take kindly to the remark, firing back with a pointed statement. “Someone like JD Vance should know to ‘couch’ his language more carefully,” Schumer said. “Anyways, I’ll be here, ready to make a deal to save Americans’ healthcare and reopen the federal government that Republicans shut down.”
Though Schumer frequently highlights his position as the highest-ranking Jewish member of Congress, Trump has repeatedly mocked him as a “Palestinian,” a nickname he began using during the 2024 campaign when accusing the Brooklyn Democrat of failing to adequately back Israel.
The president later extended the same insult to Joe Biden. “As far as Israel and Hamas, Israel’s the one that wants to go — he said the only one who wants to keep going is Hamas. Actually, Israel is the one. And you should let them go and let them finish the job,” Trump said during his June 27, 2024, debate against the Democratic incumbent.
“He doesn’t want to do it. He’s become like a Palestinian. But they don’t like him, because he’s a very bad Palestinian. He’s a weak one.”
Trump again turned his criticism toward Schumer after the Senate leader urged Israelis to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the middle of the country’s war against Hamas. “Look at a guy like Sen. Schumer. … I come from New York, I knew Schumer,” Trump told supporters at a rally in Virginia the day after the debate.
“He’s become a Palestinian. He’s a Palestinian now. Congratulations. He was very loyal to Israel and to Jewish people. He’s Jewish. But he’s become a Palestinian because they have a couple more votes or something.”
Earlier this year, Trump repeated the insult from the Oval Office, telling reporters, “Schumer is a Palestinian, as far as I’m concerned.”
“He’s become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He’s not Jewish anymore. He’s a Palestinian,” the president erupted.
{Matzav.com}
