A former Democratic congressman who served six terms in the House said Monday he was endorsing former President Trump, citing his concerns with the Biden administration’s handling of global conflicts abroad.
Former Rep. Peter Deutsch (D), who represented Florida’s 20th Congressional District from 1993-2005, announced his support on a call organized by the Trump campaign to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel.
“I feel very comfortable today publicly announcing that I’m endorsing Donald Trump to be reelected as president,” Deutsch said, adding he intends to vote for Trump on Election Day.
Deutsch said he was supportive of Trump’s stances on immigration policy and school choice, but that the “driving force for me to make this decision is what I believe is the most important factor in being president, which is really world peace.”
“And I think that Kamala Harris and the Harris-Biden administration in terms of what they have done and are doing … make the world a dramatically less safe place,” Deutsch added.
The Trump campaign sought to go on offense over the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and set off a wider war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza.
Trump and his allies have argued President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken a weak position toward Iran, which backs Hamas, and have accused the Biden administration of failing to support Israel enough in its war against the Palestinian militant group.
The Biden White House briefly paused a shipment of large bombs to Israel over concerns about civilian deaths in Gaza and has at times criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but the administration has otherwise offered its unwavering support for Israel.
Trump has repeatedly touted himself as a pro-Israel president, citing his decision to relocate the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, his recognition of the Golan Heights territory and the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
But the former president has also drawn backlash for attacking Jewish voters who do not support him. He has suggested Jews who back Democrats should “have their head examined,” and he recently posited that Jewish voters would be partly to blame if he does not win in November.
Deutsch becomes the latest current or former Democrat to back Trump’s White House bid, joining Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii).
The Harris campaign has rolled out a slew of high-profile endorsements from Republicans backing her nomination, including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R).