Fox News host criticizes Trump's relationship with 'terrorist regime'
One of Donald Trump's most vocal defenders on Fox News has seemingly turned on the president after he visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Fox News host Mark Levin, who Trump recently tapped to serve on the Department of Homeland Security's Advisory Council (HSAC), did not mince words when he called out the Arab nations for their ties to terrorism.
'Saudi Arabia played a significant role on the 9/11 slaughter of our people,' Levin wrote Wednesday morning after Trump toured the country on a state visit to meet with Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS). 'I didn't hear their Crown Prince even apologize once yesterday for what they did to us.' The show host who normally is very pro-Trump did not name the president in his post slamming the Middle Eastern countries, though the timing of it seems to clearly refer to the recent visit.
Levin, who is Jewish, also slammed Qatar's government, likening it to a 'terrorist regime.' In a separate post, Levin wrote: 'Qatar celebrates Hamas terrorist.' Despite the Trump ally's concern over the visit, Trump and MBS appeared to quickly strike up a warm and respectful relationship. But to Levin, the trip was a slap in the face to 9/11 families, who he wrote must be 'reeling from this' visit. 'Qatar protected the leader of the 9/11 attack from the FBI, before he was able to launch his war on America that killed our people,' his lengthy post continued. 'Qatar is a terrorist regime that has murdered Americans. I cannot let bygones be bygones and those Americans who suffered the consequences of what these monarchies did cannot either.'
Qatar has historically harbored enemies of the U.S., namely the top leaders of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. For example, Ismail Haniyeh, the longtime leader of Hamas, lived in Qatar's capital Doha from 2017 until his assassination in Iran last year. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, was the birthplace of 15 out of the 19 9/11 hijackers and some of its residents had been supportive of Al-Qaeda. However, the country designated the Osama bin Laden-led faction as a terrorist group in 2001 shortly after 9/11. It has also since designated the Muslim Brotherhood, Yemen's Houthis, ISIS, Al-Nusra and Hezbollah as terrorist groups.
Staying close to each other while attending an economic forum and multiple cultural events, MBS and Trump were seen smiling. Videos of the visit show the pair even getting into one of the president's favorite rides together - a golf cart. MBS chauffeured Trump around a historical section of Riyadh on the golf cart as men dressed in traditional garb, some mounted on horses, surrounded the men on their procession around the site.
The Saudi prime minister also personally attended the president's arrival and departure to Riyadh's international airport, greeting and sending off Trump with waves and thanks. 'I can't stop thinking about all the innocent people who went to work that day, and were on those planes, and all the firefighters and police officers who died horrible deaths,' Levin's pointed post said. 'These are terrorists. They don't think like us and they don't love life like us. We must have the guts and wisdom to protect ourselves.'
In another post, Levin also took issue with a speech delivered by Trump to the Saudis. 'Actually, POTUS's speech included some of the lines used by the Soros-Koch isolationist crowd about neocons and interventionists,' the Fox News host wrote. Though in that post he did offer his usual praise for the president. 'We don't know the details but if they're great deals for we, the people, that's wonderful. I truly believe the President is the best at making great deals.'
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