US Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision not to select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate has come under scrutiny by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Despite being the favorite for the position, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was ultimately chosen as the running mate. Trump claimed on Fox News that Shapiro was not selected due to his Jewish faith, implying that this decision was made in order to avoid offending another group of people.
Shapiro’s strong support for Israel and criticism of pro-Palestinian student protests across the US made him a less appealing candidate in the eyes of the ‘progressive’ faction of the Democratic party. Some critics even labeled him “Genocide Josh,” reminiscent of the “Genocide Joe” moniker assigned to President Biden. Others pointed out that a Harris-Shapiro ticket could potentially face challenges in garnering support from Muslim, Arab and Palestinian-American voters in key swing states.
Trump expressed his disbelief at the decision not to select Shapiro as the running mate, stating he had “very little doubt” that it was due to his Jewish faith. The former president went on to criticize the Biden-Harris administration for their treatment of Jewish people and their policies towards Israel, claiming they were “so bad.
During his 2017-2021 presidency, Trump was a strong supporter of Israel, recognizing its annexation of the occupied Golan Heights and relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem. In contrast, the current Biden-Harris White House has supplied weapons and ammunition to Israel, while also demanding a ceasefire and negotiations with Hamas – something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.
While Trump’s claims about the reason for Shapiro not being selected as the running mate cannot be conclusively proven, it is clear that there were differing opinions within the Democratic party regarding his suitability for the position due to his pro-Israel stance and criticisms of pro-Palestinian movements.