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Netanyahu's new Likud candidate apologizes after calling Trump 'morally corrupt piece of shit'
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ธ Palestine /Elections & Politics

Netanyahu's new Likud candidate apologizes after calling Trump 'morally corrupt piece of shit'

From Times of Israel · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Oren Dobronsky, a new candidate for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, is facing backlash for calling US President Donald Trump a "morally corrupt piece of shit."
  • Dobronsky, a businessman and "Shark Tank" investor, also criticized Trump's handling of the Iran agreement and the war against Iran.
  • He has since apologized, calling Trump "the greatest friend that Israel ever had in the White House" and regretting his past remarks.

Oren Dobronsky, a newly selected candidate for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party, is attempting to manage the fallout from recent social media posts in which he harshly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump.

What kind of morally corrupt piece of shit treats an ally like that?

โ€” Oren DobronskyCriticizing President Trump's handling of the Iran agreement and relations with Israel.

Dobronsky, described by the Likud party as a successful businessman and a founder of Israeli high-tech, was announced as one of Netanyahu's handpicked candidates. However, his past comments, including calling Trump a "morally corrupt piece of shit" and an "imbecile," quickly surfaced. He also castigated the U.S. for its agreement with Iran and for excluding Israel from related talks, writing, "What kind of morally corrupt piece of shit treats an ally like that?"

In response to the controversy, Dobronsky issued an apology on Facebook, praising Trump as "the greatest friend that Israel ever had in the White House." He explained that he had "lost my temper and posted something I regret" on one occasion, not knowing all the facts. This is not the first time Netanyahu has had to reverse an appointment due to controversial remarks about Trump; a similar situation occurred in March with a nominee for Shin Bet chief.

President Trump is the greatest friend that Israel ever had in the White House. I posted in his favor countless times. On one occasion, not knowing all the facts, I lost my temper and posted something I regret. My apologies to President Trump whom I admire dearly.

โ€” Oren DobronskyApologizing for his past critical remarks about Donald Trump.

Dobronsky's controversial remarks extended beyond Trump. During the Gaza war in 2024, he posted that Israel should fight "as if we donโ€™t have hostages there," prioritizing defeating Hamas even at the risk of the captives' lives. According to IDF data, 38 hostages abducted alive were later killed in captivity.

Israel should fight 'as if we donโ€™t have hostages there' and that defeating Hamas should take precedence even if it meant risking the lives of the captives.

โ€” Oren DobronskyStating his view on prioritizing the fight against Hamas during the Gaza war.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Times of Israel in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.