WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump's comments calling Hezbollah "smart" and criticizing Israel's defense minister were "dangerous and unhinged," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said on Thursday.

"Statements like this are dangerous and unhinged. It’s completely lost on us why any American would ever praise an Iran-backed terrorist organization as 'smart,'" Bates said.

Trump, who is seeking to run against President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, in comments to supporters in Florida Wednesday night, said Hezbollah was "very smart" and called Defense Minister Yoav Gallant "a jerk."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu)