Harris says Biden and Trump administrations should have acted more on Israel
Speaking in Seoul, former Vice President Kamala Harris criticised the Biden and Trump administrations for not using US leverage to curb Israel's conduct in Gaza. The Republican Jewish Coalition called her remarks "unsurprising".
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Right · 2Former US Vice President Kamala Harris criticised both the Biden and Trump administrations on Wednesday 14 October 2026 over their handling of Israel's war in Gaza. JNSR “Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the Biden and Trump administrations on Wednesday for failing to use U.S. leverage to curb Israel’s military campaign in Gaza” Read at JNS ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “during the 2026 Asan Memorial Lecture in Seoul on Wednesday” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 2She spoke at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, South Korea, at the 2026 Asan Memorial Lecture. JNSR “while speaking at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, South Korea” Read at JNS ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “during the 2026 Asan Memorial Lecture in Seoul on Wednesday” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 2Harris cited the "failure to use our leverage to curtail the Israeli government's horrific conduct in the war in Gaza". She said the current administration "offers Netanyahu a blank check", and that the earlier Biden administration should have acted sooner and more forcefully. JNSR “the failure to use our leverage to curtail the Israeli government’s horrific conduct in the war in Gaza, both under the current administration, which offers [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu a blank check” Read at JNS ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “Harris also criticized the current US government under US President Donald Trump, saying that it "offers Netanyahu a blank check."” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗
Right · 2The outlets quote the Biden-era phrase differently: JNS has "sooner and more forcefully", while the Jerusalem Post has "sooner and more fully". JNSR “where we should have acted sooner and more forcefully” Read at JNS ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “saying that the Biden administration should have acted "sooner and more fully."” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 1According to the Jerusalem Post, Harris said the United States needed to uphold its obligation to international law and that the Biden administration's response fell short of that. The Jerusalem PostRC “Harris said that the United States needed to uphold its obligation to international law and that the Biden administration's response to Israel's war was a failure in that regard.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 1The Republican Jewish Coalition called her remarks "unsurprising". It cited her absence from Netanyahu's 2024 address to Congress, her opposition to legislation targeting the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, her call for a halt to Israeli operations in Rafah (where the IDF later rescued hostages), and her 2021 agreement with a student who accused Israel of "ethnic genocide". JNSR “The Republican Jewish Coalition called Harris’s remarks “unsurprising,” citing her absence from Netanyahu’s 2024 address to Congress and her opposition to legislation targeting the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.”“agreeing with a student in 2021 who accused Israel of “ethnic genocide.”” Read at JNS ↗
Right · 1JNS also reported that Warren Kinsella, an attorney and author who worked on Harris's 2024 campaign, wrote that he is "ashamed to have worked with her". JNSR “wrote that he is “ashamed to have worked with her,” following her remarks about Israel” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1In the same lecture Harris said old foreign-policy "orthodoxies" no longer suffice, that economic strength and technology now carry more weight than military might, and that alliances must be strengthened as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea grow closer. The Jerusalem PostRC “the "orthodoxies of old" were insufficient for current challenges.”“The growing relationship between, for example, China and Russia and Iran and North Korea is something we have to pay attention to” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 1She expressed confidence that Democrats will win the upcoming midterms and avoided saying directly whether she is considering a 2028 presidential run, saying "2028... doesn't matter if we don't win 2026". The Jerusalem PostRC “Harris also expressed confidence that Democrats will win the upcoming US midterm election, though she avoided directly answering whether she was considering a 2028 presidential run.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both Israel-based outlets present the remarks as criticism of Biden and Trump over Israel policy. JNS adds critical reaction and the RJC's record on Harris; the Jerusalem Post focuses on the speech's international-law and foreign-policy content and her 2028 non-answer.
- Emphasis
- JNS stresses Republican Jewish Coalition and Kinsella reactions; the Jerusalem Post stresses international law, the Biden response as a 'failure', and wider foreign policy and midterm remarks.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No left or centre outlets covered this. Neither outlet includes a response from Harris's office or the Biden or Trump administrations. The Jerusalem Post omits the RJC reaction; JNS omits the foreign-policy and midterm parts of the speech.
- Charged language
- “failure”“unsurprising”“ashamed to have worked with her”
- For example
-
“The Republican Jewish Coalition called the former U.S. vice president’s remarks in South Korea “unsurprising.”” — JNS
“the Biden administration's response to Israel's war was a failure in that regard” — The Jerusalem Post
What every side reports
- Harris spoke in Seoul on 14 October 2026.
- She criticised the Biden administration for not using US leverage to curb Israel's conduct in Gaza.
- She said the Trump administration offers Netanyahu a "blank check".
Where accounts differ
-
Exact wording of Harris's remark on the Biden administration
- Right
- JNS quotes her as saying it should have acted "sooner and more forcefully"; the Jerusalem Post quotes "sooner and more fully".
Kamala Harris person
Says the US failed to use its leverage over Israel's conduct in Gaza under both administrations, and that the current one gives Netanyahu a 'blank check'.
“which offers [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu a blank check, and our administration before, where we should have acted sooner and more forcefully” — JNS
Republican Jewish Coalition organisation
Calls Harris's remarks 'unsurprising' and points to her past positions on Israel.
“The Republican Jewish Coalition called Harris’s remarks “unsurprising,”” — JNS
Biden administration organisation
Criticised by Harris for not acting sooner and more forcefully; no response from it is reported.
“the Biden administration should have acted "sooner and more fully."” — The Jerusalem Post
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
-
JNSR ·
Harris criticizes Biden, Trump administrations for not acting ‘more forcefully’ against Israel
Critical Reports Harris's remarks, then largely gives space to critics: the RJC's list of her past positions and a former campaign aide's regret.
-
Kamala Harris criticizes Biden administration's failure to curb Israel's conduct during Gaza war
Neutral Summarises the Seoul lecture, with the Gaza criticism and international-law point first, followed by foreign-policy and 2028 remarks.
- 14 Oct 21:17 First JNSR Harris criticizes Biden, Trump administrations for not acting ‘more forcefully’ against Israel
- 15 Oct 12:26 +15h 9m The Jerusalem PostRC Kamala Harris criticizes Biden administration's failure to curb Israel's conduct during Gaza war
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…