‘Outrageous and dangerous’: Jewish groups blast Trump after he said Jews would bear blame if he loses
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at an event titled “Fighting Anti-Semitism in America” at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill on Sept. 19, 2024. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
By Lauren Markoe September 20, 2024
American Jewish groups are publicly blasting former President Donald Trump for his assertion that “the Jewish people would have a lot to do with it” if he loses the election.
Trump’s speech, which was billed as an address to outline his plan to combat antisemitism, was one of two he made to Jewish groups on Thursday. In the second, delivered to the Israeli American Council, he also trafficked in antisemitic tropes and stereotypes, and what the Anti-Defamation League called “rampant accusations of dual loyalty” in a Friday statement.
Trump has raised the ire of Jewish groups before for using language accusing Jews of dual loyalty — a longstanding antisemitic trope — and for fraternizing with antisemites and white supremacists. But his comments Thursday, which included his claim that Israel would face “total annihilation” if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the presidential election, went “one step further,” as one Jewish Democratic activist put it, prompting a more robust reaction.
More conservative Jewish Americans, however, including those in the audience Thursday, had a starkly different take on the speech: “A tour de force,” the Republican Jewish Coalition called it.
Here are some of their statements, which have been edited for length and clarity.
The American Jewish Committee
“Whoever a majority of the Jewish community votes for, Jews — roughly 2% of the U.S. population — cannot and should not be blamed for the outcome of the election. Setting up anyone to say ‘we lost because of the Jews’ is outrageous and dangerous. Thousands of years of history have shown that scapegoating Jews can lead to antisemitic hate and violence.
“Like all Americans, some Jews will vote for President Trump and some will vote for Vice President Harris. Both candidates should work to earn the support of our community based on policy. But let’s not make this election and its outcome about the Jews.”
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO & National Director Anti-Defamation League
“I appreciate that former President Trump called out antisemitism and recognized its historic surge. He’s right on that. But the effect is undermined by then employing numerous antisemitic tropes and anti-Jewish stereotypes — including rampant accusations of dual loyalty.
“Preemptively blaming American Jews for your potential election loss does zero to help American Jews. It increases their sense of alienation in a moment of vulnerability when right-wing extremists and left-wing anti-Zionists continually demonize and slander Jews. This is happening on college campuses, in public places, everywhere. There are threats on all sides, period.”
Amy Spitalnick, CEO if the Jewish Council for Public Affairs
“Trump continues to label Jews who don’t support him as disloyal and crazy, to play into dangerous dual loyalty tropes, and to blame Jews for a potential electoral loss. At the same time, he continues to normalize antisemitic extremism — spreading the ‘invasion’ and ‘replacement’ conspiracies that have fueled deadly attacks against Jews, immigrants, and so many others; embracing and platforming avowed neo-Nazis and other extremists; and mainstreaming broader hate and violence.
“Treating Jews and Israel as political footballs makes Jews, Israel, and all of us less safe. Dividing Jews into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ camps and engaging in dual loyalty tropes further normalizes antisemitism. It needs to stop, and anyone who cares about Jewish safety should call it out. This is not partisan politics — it’s about the fundamental safety of the Jewish community.”
The Republican Jewish Coalition
President Donald Trump’s speech last night was a tour de force in support of the Jewish community and Israel, as we collectively face some of the darkest days in modern Jewish history. From start to finish, President Trump received countless standing ovations as he promised to defund universities that tolerate antisemitism, defend and protect Jewish Americans, restore the US-Israel relationship, remove terrorist sympathizers from America and call out Kamala Harris for appeasing Hamas terrorists.
He rightly pointed out that as president of the United States, he did more for American Jews and the Jewish state than any president in modern history; and although many Jewish Americans vote for Democrats, he is working tirelessly to change that. We fully expect President Trump to build on his historic success in this critical 2024 election. With antisemitism skyrocketing to record highs and the U.S.-Israel relationship reaching new lows, it is more important than ever to send President Trump back to the White House. Nov. 5, 2024 cannot come soon enough.
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