WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Congress “is becoming antisemitic,” as the “Jewish lobby” is no longer the strongest in Washington, and incorrectly claimed that he had gotten all hostages out of Gaza, despite the body of one slain captive remaining in the Strip.

The president made the comments to guests at Tuesday night’s White House Hanukkah party, where he and a collection of his top donors and supporters made a number of unconventional remarks, including that he is “the first Jewish president,” and that he could legally run for a third presidential term, which he is barred from doing.

In his comments about the rise of antisemitism in the US government, Trump initially referred to all of Congress, but then highlighted the Squad, a group of progressive Democrats, as the White House has downplayed growing criticism of Israel in the Republican Party.

“My father would tell me, the most powerful lobby that there is in this country is the Jewish lobby. It’s the Israeli lobby. It’s not that way anymore,” Trump reflected, in a new version of comments he has made before.

“You have a lot of people that don’t want to help Israel,” he continued. “You have a lot of people in Congress that don’t like Israel. You have a lot of people in Congress that in a way… they hate Israel. They hate Israel.”

“I will always be a friend and a champion to the Jewish people,” Trump said to a cheering, albeit relatively smaller crowd at the annual gathering due to the construction of the White House East Room.

President Trump at the Hanukkah reception:

"The strongest lobby in Washington was the Jewish lobby, it was Israel. That's no longer true. You have to be very careful. You have a Congress which is becoming antisemitic… you got to be careful because there's been a big........

© The Times of Israel