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Here’s what legislators are saying about Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

'The fact that he's coming here to meet with a candidate for office, not an elected official, I think is inappropriate,'

Former President Donald Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Friday and politicians in Florida have differing opinions on this historic meeting.

By: Michael Hoffman

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.

Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress Wednesday afternoon and thanked the United States for its support in Israel's war against Hamas, and had harsh words for anti-Israel protesters.

I looked into the significance of Friday’s meeting and checked in with Florida politicians on both sides of the aisle to see what they think about this historic meeting and its implications.

Foreign policy expert Robert Rabil said the prime minister has two main goals.

"To have support of the United States to shore up his leadership,” Rabil said, “and to speak about Iran and the threat Iran and its proxies pose to Israel, the region and to the United States."

The Florida Democrats and Republicans I spoke with Wednesday were both supporters of

Republican congressional hopeful Joe Kaufman was elated by the news.

“Right now, I’m wearing my Trump keppah. I am just proud of him,” Kaufman said. “Proud of the fact that he is standing with Israel. Even at a time when a good part of the world is standing against her."

Florida Democratic Senator Lori Berman, while a supporter of Israel, sees the meeting with Trump in a different light.

“The fact that he's coming here to meet with a candidate for office, not an elected official, but a candidate for office, I think is inappropriate,” Berman said. “I think it's his attempt to put his thumb on the scale of this election and I don't think that's right."

Florida Democratic Senator Lori Berman July 2024 — Florida Democratic Senator Lori Berman says she thinks the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu is inappropriate.

Those political optics are not lost on Rabil.

"You have rifts in the Democratic party. You have progressives and the far left, they are critical of Netanyahu and his policies. On the other hand, the Republicans don't have these rifts. So, there is concern that it will play to the favor of the Republican party."

Now with such a large amount of support for Israel in South Florida, Rabil said when it comes to security, we can expect some protests however he doesn't expect anything major.

WPTV's coverage on Netanyahu's meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago: