Trump takes another dig at Jewish voters who back Biden

Donald Trump has lashed out at Jewish voters who back President Joe Biden and framed this year's election as a referendum on the strength of Christianity in the US, part of his sharp-edged continuing appeal to evangelical conservatives who are a critical element of his political base.

Speaking in Atlanta ahead of a fundraiser, the presumptive Republican nominee on Wednesday renewed his running criticism of Biden's reaction to Israel's brutal war on besieged Gaza.

"Biden has totally lost control of the Israel situation," said Trump, whose rise in 2016 depended heavily on white Christian conservatives.

"Any Jewish person who votes for a Democrat or votes for Biden should have their head examined."

Last month, Trump said, "Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves."

Trump spoke after Biden last week warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future US support for Israel's Gaza war depends on the swift implementation of new steps to protect civilians and aid workers.

In Trump's interpretation, Biden "has totally abandoned Israel."

The war on Gaza has sandwiched Biden between conservatives – both Christian and Jewish – who want stalwart support for Netanyahu's government and progressives. The matter is important to conservative Christians, among Trump's most supportive constituencies, who see the political state of Israel as the modern manifestation of God's chosen people, the Israelites of the Old Testament in the Christian Bible.

Biden's left flank, though, is dominated by progressives incensed by Israel's aggression on Gaza that has resulted in thousands of Palestinian deaths.

The president has repeatedly been greeted by protesters throughout his spring travels, and activists have organised votes against Biden in many Democratic primaries, even as he coasts to renomination.

Biden pushes back

The president's campaign pushed back on Wednesday. "Jewish Americans do not need to be 'spoken to' or threatened by Donald Trump," said Biden spokesperson James Singer.

"This is what Trump does, using division and hate as political weapons while seeking power for himself. Voters of all stripes will reject his chaos, violence and unhinged threats once again in November."

In Georgia, Trump stoked his Christian base anew by putting the Election Day stakes in religious terms.

"November 5th is the most important day in the history of our country, and it's going to be Christian Visibility Day," Trump said, repeating for emphasis: "Christian Visibility Day."

Christians, he predicted, "are going to come out, and they're going to vote like never before."