Former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak at the Israeli-American Council (IAC) National Summit in Washington next week, as part of his ongoing effort to bolster support among Jewish and Israeli-American voters ahead of the November presidential election.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, have also been invited to speak but have not yet confirmed their attendance.
The IAC National Summit has become the largest pro-Israel conference in the U.S. and is expected to draw nearly 4,000 participants from the Jewish and Israeli-American communities this year, including many students. The summit will honor the victims and heroes of the October 7 attack, marking almost one year since the massacre.
The event will include tributes to heroes, survivors and the families of hostages, as well as a salute to the IDF, a panel on IDF ethics in combat and a recognition of former hostages who were freed from Hamas captivity.
The summit will also focus on Jewish identity, the fight against antisemitism, Israeli technology and innovation, the U.S.-Israel alliance and other aspects of the Jewish and Israeli-American experience. Speakers and panelists will include key figures from government, business, activism, education, media, philanthropy and technology.
Notable speakers include journalist and bestselling author Douglas Murray; Andrei Kozlov, a former Hamas hostage who was freed in a daring IDF rescue; Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran; U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt; Representative Elise Stefanik, chair of the House Republican Conference; pro-Israel Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres; Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog; attorney Alan Dershowitz; social media influencer Montana Tucker; Australian actor Nathaniel Buzolic; and actor Michael Rapaport, among others.
“In the past year, Israel and the Jewish people have been fighting on the battlefield, on college campuses, in the media, and on social media,” said IAC CEO Elan Carr, a former U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.
“This year’s summit provides a critical opportunity for our community to come together with focus and purpose. Together, we will embrace the families of the fallen and the hostages, salute the IDF heroes who protect Israel day and night, support students defending Israel on campus, and recognize those fighting for Israel’s global standing. Most importantly, as we approach the first anniversary of the horrific October 7 massacre, we will unite as one people, with one voice, to declare: Am Yisrael Chai,” Carr added.