John Kennedy Criticized President Biden’s Response to Anti-Israel Protests on College Campuses
Senator John Kennedy appeared on the May 1 episode of ‘Fox & Friends‘ with co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, and Brian Kilmeade, where he criticized President Joe Biden for his handling of anti-Israel protests occurring on college campuses across the United States.
During the broadcast, Kennedy expressed his belief that the President could end these protests by simply threatening to withhold federal funding from colleges that fail to control their campuses. Kennedy emphasized that President Biden has the power to stop the protests immediately.
He suggested that a direct threat to cut off federal funding to colleges could be an effective deterrent, yet he accused the President of failing to take such a step. According to Kennedy, the President’s reluctance to confront the protesters might be influenced by political considerations, particularly the upcoming election. He alleged that Biden was hesitant to alienate what he referred to as the “Hamas wing of the Democratic Party.”
Highlighting a recent CNN poll, Kennedy noted that 52 percent of likely voters stated they would not vote for President Biden under any circumstances, suggesting that some would prefer even a fast-food worker over the current President. He interpreted these findings as a sign of widespread dissatisfaction with Biden’s leadership, which he claimed made the administration cautious about taking strong actions that might further alienate certain voter segments.
Kennedy also argued that by allowing the protests to continue unchecked, the administration was essentially permitting this behavior to perpetuate. He used the phrase, “What you allow is what will continue,” to stress the need for decisive action against the campus protests.
In response to these events, the official student arm of the Democratic Party issued a statement after the occupation of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on April 30. They labeled the protesters as “heroic” and praised them for their moral clarity in standing up against what they described as a genocidal and unjust war. The statement commended the bravery of students willing to face arrests and academic repercussions to advocate for Palestinian rights and called for an end to the conflict and the release of hostages.
Additionally, the student group addressed the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia on college campuses. They clarified that advocating for Palestinian freedom and opposing extreme actions by the Israeli government should not be conflated with antisemitism. They condemned politicians who label all protesters as hateful and highlighted that many protests have been peaceful, marked by cultural and religious expressions of unity and peace.
In their concluding remarks, the group reiterated their support for nonviolent protests and denounced any calls for violence against Jewish and Muslim students. They affirmed their commitment to promoting peace and justice within the international community, standing firmly with those who protest peacefully.