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Trump mocks Ilhan Omar day after man arrested for threatening her

President Trump says the Democrats have abandoned Israel.
Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Democrats would "leave Israel out there" if they won in 2020 and they've allowed anti-Semitism to "take root in their party and their country," President Trump told the Republican Jewish Coalition conference Saturday.

Details: During his speech in Las Vegas, Trump called the asylum program "a scam" and mocked its applicants and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). He explained why the U.S. now recognized Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights and referred to Israeli PM Netanyahu as "your prime minister" while addressing the gathering of Jewish Americans.

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What he's saying: Trump said the asylum-seekers were "some of the roughest people you've ever seen — people that look like they should be fighting for the UFC." He said they read a "little page" prepared by lawyers that says: "I am very fearful for my life, I am very worried that I will be accosted if I'm sent back home."

On planned aid cuts to 3 central American countries, Trump defended the decision, saying he had "a feeling" the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras could "stop caravans from forming in those three countries."

In a dig at Omar, who has been accused of trafficking in anti-Semitic tropes, Trump thanked the freshman lawmaker before saying: "She doesn’t like Israel. I forgot. I’m so sorry."

The other side: In a retweet of a Twitter post noting Trump criticized her a day after a New York man was arrested and charged with threatening to kill her, Omar said late Saturday: "My Lord, forgive my people for they do not know."

  • The Jewish Democratic Council of America's executive director Halie Soifer said in a statement responding to Trump's speech: "We strongly denounce President Trump’s continued assault on decency and truth."

Go deeper: AOC slams Jeanine Pirro after man's arrest for Ilhan Omar kill threats

Donald Trump