Sen. JD Vance blasted the Biden-Harris administration on Monday for not doing enough to bring home the hostages that Hamas took from Israel during the deadly Oct. 7 attack one year ago.
Vance, R-Ohio, spoke during the Philos Project’s Memorial Rally and March on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., briefly taking aim at President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I’m going to get a little political here. It is disgraceful that we have an American president and vice president who haven’t done a thing,” Vance said. “Vice President Harris, our message is, ‘Bring them home.’ Use your authority to help bring them home. We can do it. We just need real leadership.”
Iran-backed Hamas terrorists launched a massacre against Israel in the Oct. 7 attack last year, killing about 1,200 people, including 46 U.S. citizens, and taking about 250 hostages. A year later, about 100 people, including several Americans, remain in Hamas captivity, as U.S.-led efforts to negotiate a cease-fire and hostage release deal have sputtered out.
Vance says a Trump-Vance administration will give Israel “the right and the ability to finish what Hamas started.” (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, File)
The attack sparked a war in Gaza, where Israel has moved to eliminate Hamas and return those taken hostage. Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians.
Harris came under fire Sunday for a lengthy “word salad” answer in which she appeared unable to fully commit to Israel during an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.”
US ON ALERT FOR POSSIBLE ‘VIOLENT EXTREMIST ACTIVITY’ ON AMERICANS ONE YEAR AFTER OCT. 7
Meanwhile, Vance gave full-throated support for Israel, saying that former President Trump will make sure Israel has the right to protect itself and that the hostages are returned home.
Vance called on President Biden and Vice President Harris to “use your authority” to bring the hostages home. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
“I speak for Donald Trump and saying that when he is president, America will protect our American Jewish brothers and sisters. We will stop funding anti-American and anti-Jewish radicals. And we are going to bring home American hostages wherever they’re held and whoever is holding them,” he said.
“We want to give Israel the right and the ability to finish what Hamas started. Israel didn’t start this. Hamas did. But Israel is going to finish it,” Vance continued.