Trump ‘doesn’t understand’ Israel’s value to US, Sen. Graham tells TOI

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says Donald Trump’s comments to the effect that Israel should “pay back” the aid it receives from the US represents a “complete misunderstanding of the value of the relationship” between the two countries.

“It’s beyond my capability to explain Donald Trump to Israel or anyone else,” Graham tells The Times of Israel’s Raphael Ahren. “I think he’s an opportunist; not a Republican. I am very concerned about him actually being a conservative.”

The senator, who ran a brief presidential campaign but backed out of the race earlier this year, has been among the most strident critics of the Republican front-runner among his peers in the GOP.

He is currently visiting Israel, which he calls “the most stable platform in the Mideast.”

“Without a democratic Israel, the whole region would further deteriorate,” he says. “This is not a drain on the American taxpayer; this is a mutually beneficial relationship, and I can’t think of a better use of American taxpayer dollars than to reinforce a stable democratic Israel at a time of great upheaval.

“[Trump] clearly doesn’t understand the value of Israel to the United States.”

The Times of Israel’s full interview with Graham will be published later today.