On Thursday, former President Donald Trump targeted Joe Biden over the campus protests against Israel's actions in Gaza, characterizing the demonstrations as filled with "tremendous hate." Trump highlighted the contrast between these protests and the violence that occurred at a white nationalist rally in Virginia during his time in office, referring to the latter as insignificant in comparison. The protests on college campuses have been predominantly peaceful, with no known fatalities or violent clashes similar to what was witnessed in Charlottesville.
Trump expressed his belief that Biden lacks an understanding of the situation and criticized him for his handling of the campus protests, just months before the anticipated rematch between the two in the November presidential election. The protests have intensified across various universities in the US, leading to the arrests of around 500 demonstrators over the past week. Despite accusations from some Republicans in Congress that Jewish students are being harassed during the protests, activist groups have denied claims of antisemitism and asserted that any hateful behavior is instigated by those attempting to infiltrate and discredit their movement.
While Trump has previously condemned the violence at the Charlottesville rally, where a woman lost her life, he continues to face legal challenges in New York over allegations of falsifying business records concerning a payment to a porn star to keep quiet about an affair before the 2016 election. Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing in this matter, remains a prominent figure in American politics leading up to the forthcoming presidential election.