Trump Demands Release of US Hostages, Vows to Resolve Israel-Hamas War in RNC Speech

Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump raises his fist from the stage on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 18, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump called for the release of all American hostages around the world during the final night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday.

While accepting the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, Trump vowed to make foreign countries pay “a very big price” if American hostages are not returned before he enters the White House.

“To the entire world, I tell you this: We want our hostages back, and they better be back before I assume office, or you will be paying a very big price,” Trump said.

Eight Americans — Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Gadi Haggai, Judith Weinstein Haggai, Omer Neutra, and Keith Siegel — remain in captivity in Gaza after they were taken hostage by Hamas during the Palestinian terrorist group’s rampage across southern Israel on Oct. 7.

The parents of Neutra addressed the RNC on Wednesday night, telling the audience that Trump “stands with the American hostages.”

Trump also stated during his speech that multiple ongoing wars — including the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza — would not have occurred if he still occupied the White House. The Republican nominee and former president vowed to resolve these global crises upon his return to the Oval Office.

Trump also promised to “end every single international crisis that the current administration has created, including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine — which would have never happened if I was president — and the war caused by the attack on Israel, which would have never happened if I was president.”

“Iran was broke. Iran had no money. Now Iran has $250 billion. They made it all over the last two and a half years,” Trump said.

When Trump was president, he withdrew the US from a nuclear deal with Iran that was brokered by the former Obama administration, reimposing harsh economic sanctions on the Iranian regime. Current US President Joe Biden has attempted to restart negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, allowing sanctions waivers which, critics argue, benefit Tehran and allow it to spend more money on supporting terrorism.

From 2018 to 2023, for example, the US State Department allowed Iraq to import energy from Iran under the condition that all payments were kept in an escrow account out of the Iranian government’s reach. In the summer of 2023, however, the Biden administration changed the sanctions waiver to allow Iraq to transfer $10 billion to Iran.

The US intelligence community has consistently labeled Iran — which provides funding, weapons, and training to Hamas — as the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism. Republicans have argued that the Biden administration’s decision to ease certain sanctions on Iran will allow the regime to give more support to its terrorist proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Iran has been ramping up its nuclear program without a nuclear accord in place.

“Now Iran is very close to having a nuclear weapon, which would have never happened,” Trump said.

Trump also promised to build an Iron Dome air defense system on US soil similar to the one that Israel has.

“Why should other countries have this and we don’t? No, we’re going to build an Iron Dome over our country, and we’re going to be sure that nothing can come and harm our people,” Trump said.

It was unclear what threats Trump had in mind to thwart with Iron Dome, which was designed to stop short-range rockets and missiles — not a danger the US has ever faced along its borders.