Trump comments directly on antisemites in the Republican party: ‘I think we don’t like them’

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office Aug. 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

(JTA) — As tensions have risen in the Republican Party over antisemitism within the party, one voice has been notably absent.

Now, President Donald Trump, the party’s leader, has weighed in, indicating to The New York Times that he does not approve of antisemites in the party.

“No, I don’t. I think we don’t need them. I think we don’t like them,” replied Trump when asked by a reporter whether there was room within the Republican coalition for antisemitic figures.

Trump’s commentary on antisemitism within the GOP comes as many top Republican leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, have so far dismissed calls to draw a line against the mainstreaming of antisemitic figures, including Nick Fuentes, in the party.

When asked whether he condemned those with antisemitic views in the wide-ranging interview with the Times published Sunday, Trump replied, “Certainly.” The interview took place last week.

“Look, if you talk about the antisemitic views, there’s been nobody better for us. As an example, I just got the Israel award, which is the biggest award they give. It was just given to me. First time it was ever given to anybody outside of Israel,” continued Trump, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent announcement that he was nominated for the top Israeli civilian honor.

Trump then continued to say that there was “no better president in the history of the world” who has been “stronger or better and less antisemitic” than himself. (A May survey of Jewish American voters found that half believe that Trump is antisemitic.)

“I have been the best president of the United States in the history of this country toward Israel. And that’s, by the way, acknowledged by everybody, including the fact that we have peace in the Middle East, and that’s going to hold,” continued Trump.

Later in the interview, Trump was asked whether he would condemn Fuentes, whose interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson in October set off a firestorm within the party. After initially claiming that he didn’t know the antisemitic streamer, Trump acknowledged that he had had dinner with him alongside Kanye West in 2022.

“I had dinner with him, one time, where he came as a guest of Kanye West. I didn’t know who he was bringing,” Trump said. “He said, ‘Do you mind if I bring a friend?’ I said, ‘I don’t care.’ And it was Nick Fuentes? I don’t know Nick Fuentes.”

When asked whether he condemns Paul Ingrassia, a Trump administration official who was pulled from consideration to lead the Office of Special Counsel in October after texts surfaced in which he proclaimed he had a “Nazi Streak,” Trump replied, “I don’t know that. It’s possible. I have thousands of people working here.”

But when asked whether he thinks that Republican leaders should “condemn figures who espouse antisemitism,” Trump replied, “Absolutely.”

“Well, I’ll tell you what. From my own personal standpoint, absolutely, because I condemn,” said Trump. “I have a daughter who’s married to a Jewish person. My daughter happens to be Jewish, beautiful, three grandchildren are Jewish. I’m very proud of them. I’m very proud of the whole, that whole family. I am the least antisemitic person probably there is anywhere in the world.”

Trump also refuted a question by a Times reporter that his campaign against affirmative action and antisemitism on college campuses, which included multi-million dollar federal funding cuts, was invoked “to force change.”

“No, I cut funding to people and universities like Columbia, like Harvard,” said Trump. “We’re in the midst of that and others, as you know — you write about very well — where there’s tremendous discrimination against people that happen to be Jewish. We have — the antisemitism in this country is shocking.”