Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump caused outrage from the White House, Democrats, and leaders of Jewish groups. He suggested that Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats hate their religion and Israel.
“Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves,” said Trump, who hopes to unseat President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.
“The Democrat Party hates Israel,” he said in the interview with his former adviser Sebastian Gorka posted on his website on Monday.
Groups such as the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, and the Jewish Democratic Council of America condemned Trump’s remarks. They criticized his attempt to tie religion to how people might vote.
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When asked to comment on Trump’s remarks, the White House stated on Tuesday: “There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said.
After Trump’s remarks were posted, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, wrote on social media platform X on Monday: “Trump is making highly partisan and hateful rants. I am working in a bipartisan way to ensure the US-Israeli relationship sustains for generations to come, buoyed by peace in the Middle East.”
Last Thursday, Schumer, the highest-ranking U.S. Jewish elected official and a longtime supporter of Israel, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. He described him as an obstacle to peace five months into a war in Gaza.
Biden said many Americans shared Schumer’s concerns. Netanyahu called Schumer’s speech inappropriate.
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Democratic National Committee spokesperson Alex Floyd said in a statement on Monday: “Jewish Americans deserve better than the appalling, offensive attacks Trump continues to launch against the Jewish community.”
Trump’s campaign stood by his remarks. “The Democrat Party has turned into a full-blown anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist cabal,” Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. On Tuesday, the Republican Jewish Coalition defended Trump’s remarks, which it reposted on X.
RJC spokesperson Sam Markstein expressed uncertainty about Trump’s comment regarding Jewish Americans voting for Democrats. He stated that while he didn’t know what Trump meant, he found Democrats’ stances problematic. Markstein also questioned why there wasn’t more outrage within the Jewish community regarding these issues.
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While president, Trump came under fire from critics in 2017 for drawing an equivalence between white nationalists who chanted “Jews will not replace us” and protesters against racism who clashed in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump said there were “fine people on both sides.”
Trump made unprecedented moves, including recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocating the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv. He also acknowledged Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in a 1967 war.
Since Trump left office, critics have pointed to his 2022 meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes at his Florida club. Trump claimed the encounter was inadvertent.
Biden also criticized Trump for using language reminiscent of Nazis. This included Trump’s use of the term “vermin” to describe political adversaries.
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