Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump is reportedly considering a trip to Israel ahead of the Republican National Convention in July.
Several sources told New York Magazine the purpose of the trip is “to bolster his support among Middle East hawks.”
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law who married his daughter Ivanka, and billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson are planning the possible trip, according to the report.
“This is a typical time frame when a general-election candidate has an opportunity to flex his foreign-policy muscles,” a Trump staffer told New York Magazine.
New York Magazine adds:
According to two sources, the Trump campaign has indicated to Adelson that Adelson’s preferred choice for vice-president, Newt Gingrich, will be given a senior role in a Trump administration even if he doesn’t get the VP nod. Adelson, of course, is one of Netanyahu’s most vocal supporters. Yesterday, Politico reported Adelson advisers are in talks to set up a new pro-Trump super-pac.
Trump campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks said Trump currently has no plans to travel to Israel.
Sources close to Trump cautioned to Sherman that his trip to Israel is not final.
Last month, Adelson urged Republican Jewish leaders to support Trump. “I’m asking for your support” for Trump, Adelson wrote in an email to members of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Adelson wrote that he is “specifically convinced he (Trump) will be a tremendous president when it comes to the safety and security of Israel.”