Tim Scott lashes out at Biden and GOP rivals after Hamas attacks in Israel

Sen. Tim Scott has let rip with a series of attacks against President Joe Biden and some of his Republican presidential opponents this week, a sharp turn from his typical campaign posture in the wake of Hamas' terrorist attacks in Israel.

Scott’s most aggressive attacks have been reserved for Democrats, a common target for him — but usually at a different level. Scott accused Biden of having “blood on his hands” and suggested the president was “complicit” in the Hamas assault.

“His weakness invited the attack, his cash giveaways to Iran helped fund terrorism,” Scott said during a speech Tuesday at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., referring to the administration’s agreeing to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian oil money this year as part of an exchange for American prisoners.

Iran had not yet been able to access any of the money, which is in a monitored account and was restricted for humanitarian use, and the U.S. and Qatar agreed in the wake of Hamas’ attacks in Israel to re-freeze the funds, NBC News reported Thursday.

Christale Spain, the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, said in a statement to NBC News that Scott is employing harsh rhetoric to distract from his own inexperience.

“While President Biden is supporting our allies and leading on the world stage in the wake of the horrific attack on Israel, Tim Scott is desperately trying to distract from his lack of foreign policy creds and failure to deliver for the thousands of American service members at South Carolina’s eight military bases and across the world,” Spain said.

In his speech Tuesday, Scott said: “We need a president who is loyal to our allies, yet lethal to our adversaries because weakness has never purchased peace. Being passive is a provocation.”

Scott has also blown up at far-left Democrats, who he said have “become incredibly hostile to the state of Israel.” He called out each congressional member of the progressive “Squad” by name in his speech and called for any Democrat affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America to be expelled from Congress.

It’s a far cry from Scott’s recent answer to a question in Mason City, Iowa, from a voter who wondered if his perception as “a really nice guy” would weaken America on the global stage.

“I’m a nice guy,” Scott said in response. “I will say though, that I’m not an angry guy. I think sometimes we confuse anger with strength.”

The South Carolina senator has aimed to distinguish himself from other 2024 candidates and emerge as a leader on Israel, highlighting his current work on both the Senate foreign relations and banking committees, and past work on the Armed Services committee.

Scott has said he plans to introduce legislation that would refreeze Iranian assets currently being held in Qatar, and called for the Senate Banking Committee to hold a hearing with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and for an investigation into the release of the $6 billion to Iran — all of which highlight his ability as the only member of Congress in the GOP primary field to legislatively respond to the attack.

“In a field of folks like this, he’s the one that has the experience and the knowledge to lead right now, show strength, and actually deliver,” senior campaign spokesman Nathan Brand told NBC News.

But Scott’s messaging in recent days has gone beyond highlighting his foreign policy chops. Scott’s combative rhetoric has cast Biden as passive — reframing a criticism Scott himself has faced.

“Hamas, attacking Israel, is undeniably the personification of evil. People want to call it a conflict, people want to call it a war, people want to call it good people on both sides. Hogwash. This is an act of evil,” Scott said Monday at a gathering of faith leaders in South Carolina organized by his campaign.

Scott offered a prayer to the audience of churchgoers that strayed from the often optimistic tone of his scripture-laced speeches on the campaign trail, praying not just for peace in Israel, but also for the full force of God’s “wrath.”

“I pray for the Romans 13:4, Lord,” Scott said. “That you establish a government and make ministers within the government for justice and for wrath. Give them swords.”

Scott’s angrier tone has honed in on Republicans, too. Scott on Thursday called former President Donald Trump “just wrong” for comments Trump made that were critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We cannot extend a single message to any of the enemies of Israel, that anyone in leadership stands against, or in opposition to, or questions the leadership of, the prime minister,” Scott told reporters in Newton, Iowa.

In his speech at the Hudson Institute, Scott popped off at both Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, both GOP primary rivals.

“Vivek Ramaswamy has said that the definition of success is reducing America’s support for Israel,” Scott said. “Governor DeSantis once dismissed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as just a territorial dispute. The last thing we need is a Joe Biden Republican Party wing on foreign policy.”

Scott has acknowledged his shift in tone in the days after the attack.

“I’m positive,” Scott said at the Monday gathering of faith leaders. “I’m also positive that God is God of love and justice. And sometimes if you want to prevent war, you want to prevent the loss of lives, you have to have the kind of response to it that tells the adversary, never again, and not on my watch.”

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com