While hosting Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office Monday, President Donald Trump suggested that Nazis showed Jews "signs of love" during the Holocaust.
Trump: "I said to [the former hostages], was there any sign of love? Did Hamas show any signs of, like, help or liking you? Did they give you a piece of bread extra? Did they give you a meal on the side? Like what happened in Germany." pic.twitter.com/PsLttlmEke
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 7, 2025
The shocking claim was made during a diatribe characteristic of Trump—he's called it "doing the weave,"—when he follows a tangent aside from his initial talking point.
As Trump discussed the experience of 10 freed Israeli hostages he met with, he seemingly intended to convey that they experienced more cruelty at the hands of Hamas than the Nazis inflicted on Jews during the Holocaust.
To illustrate the contrast, Trump implied that in Germany, presumably during the Holocaust, prisoners were covertly encouraged with extra meals, "a wink," or "help."
"I said to [the former hostages], was there any sign of love? Did Hamas show any signs of, like, help or liking you? Did they wink at you? Did they give you a piece of bread extra? Did they give you a meal on the side? Like what happened in Germany."
Describing the hostage's response to the alleged conversation, Trump continued: "They said 'no.' Did they ever wink at you, like 'you're going to be okay?' They said 'no.'"
"The hatred is unbelievable," he said of Hamas.
Social media users described the remarks as not just "offensive," but "a grotesque distortion of history."
Trump's point that Hamas is worse than Germany during the Holocaust because 10 people didn't get extra bread is quite deranged and despicable.
— 💥Arbiter of Cool💥😎✌🏻👊🏻 (@ArbiterofCool) April 7, 2025
The comments managed to be insulting in a variety of ways, with many finding the line of questioning itself, "if terrorists were 'nice,'" to be inappropriate.
This is not just historically ignorant, it's morally repulsive. What kind of person asks if terrorists were "nice"?
— Stan Portman (@stan_p_bluepill) April 7, 2025
Others were outraged at how the comments dismissed the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.
"This isn't just delusional," one user wrote. "It's Holocaust cosplay. He's romanticizing genocide."
Ah yes, when Germany offered bread as they slaughtered my family whilst locking them in cattle cars and then gassed. That was nice.
— Stephie (@skk224) April 7, 2025
Trump's remarks were further criticized as in keeping with talking points meant to rationalize Israel attacks on Palestinians.
"These are typical zionist talking points...that the Palestinian people are so evil...like no other people," a comment read.
The same comment linked a 2015 AP News article reporting on comments made by Netanyahu. The prime minister suggested a Palestinian leader persuaded the Nazis to adopt their Final Solution of killing 6 million Jews.
"Hitler didn't want to exterminate the Jews at the time, he wanted to expel the Jews," Netanyahu said. At the time, Holocaust historians criticized the claim as serving the interest of Holocaust deniers.
"Any attempt to deflect the burden from Hitler to others is a form of Holocaust denial," Moshe Zimmermann from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem told AP. "It cheapens the Holocaust."
Why isn't Hamas more like those warm, fuzzy Nazis? WTAF. Talk about rewriting history.
— GladysRoot (@lemmabarkaloo) April 8, 2025
While the added context may shed light on how Trump could feel comfortable painting Nazis in a forgiving light while seated besides Israel's prime minister, X users did not share that comfort.
"What the f---?" and "This guy is definitely out of his mind," were frequently shared sentiments. Recalling former comments from Trump that "Hitler did some good things," another user wrote, "The man is insane and dangerous. Lock him up."
At this time, the White House has not offered comment on Trump's remarks or the backlash.
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