Wayne Allyn Root’s profile picture. Image by Facebook

By Ari Feldman August 21, 2019

President Trump tweeted a quote from a Jew-turned-Evangelical Christian radio host Wednesday morning citing the president as the “King of Israel.”

A series of tweets from Trump citing commentator Wayne Allyn Root came as the president was under fire for suggesting that it would be “disloyal” for American Jews to vote for the Democratic because two of Muslim Democratic Congresswomen’s harsh criticisms of Israel.

“President Trump is the greatest President for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world, not just America, he is the best President for Israel in the history of the world… and the Jewish people in Israel love him like he’s the King of Israel,” Trump quoted Root as saying.

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….like he’s the King of Israel. They love him like he is the second coming of God…But American Jews don’t know him or like him. They don’t even know what they’re doing or saying anymore. It makes no sense! But that’s OK, if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s good for…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2019

Root has said he was once Jewish, but converted to Christianity. He is a conservative radio host and columnist. In the aftermath of the Mandalay Bay shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, which was carried out by a lone white shooter, Root blamed “Muslim terror” for the attack.

Root also pushed conspiracy theories about the murder of Seth Rich, the Democratic National Committee staffer shot in Washington, D.C., in 2016.

Root has also parroted theories about the Jewish billionaire George Soros paying protestors.

Trump’s “King of Israel” tweet quickly went viral, putting the phrase in the top trends for Twitter Wednesday morning.

We have reached a point as a civilization where “King of Israel” is trending on Twitter and it is about Donald Trump, the President of the United States.

— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) August 21, 2019

Went to see why “King of Israel” was trending……….. pic.twitter.com/2E3kwUjO5U

— JustMe (@Just_Me_NCGirl) August 21, 2019

When you wake up and “King of the Jews”, “King of Israel”, “disloyal Jews” and “Second Coming of God” are trending. pic.twitter.com/Hnngc0qyFQ

— Kimberly (@ksk4911) August 21, 2019

Ari Feldman is a staff writer at the Forward. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @aefeldman

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