Gorka Says He Opposes Anti-Semitism, But Does Not Address Affiliation With Nazi Allied Group
“I’ve been a committed opponent of anti-Semitism, racism and totalitarianism all my life,” Gorka said in a brief written statement provided, after weeks of requests, to the Forward by the White House press office. “Any suggestion otherwise is false and outrageous.”
The Forward report did not allege Gorka was anti-Semitic, but rather showed, based on interviews with two senior members of Vitezi Rend, that Gorka had taken a lifelong oath of loyalty to the group.
In his response, Gorka did not deny or confirm being a member of Vitezi Rend.
Furthermore, Gorka did not say whether he reported his membership to American immigration authorities upon seeking U.S. citizenship. A State Department manual states that members of Vitezi Rend are “presumed to be inadmissible” to the country.
Gorka ended his statement by thanking the president for offering him the opportunity to join the White House team, where he serves as his deputy assistant and is in charge of counter-terrorism. “I am grateful to President Trump and his team for giving me the opportunity to serve and keep America safe against today’s totalitarians.”
Contact Nathan Guttman at guttman@forward.com
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.