Donald Trump and antisemitism

During Trump's 2016 campaign for president, The Times of Israel published a timeline of his antisemitic "controversies", including remarks he made to the Republican Jewish Coalition invoking tropes about Jews and money.{{Cite web |last=Heilman |first=Uriel |date=2016-06-02 |title=Donald Trump's anti-Semitism controversies: A timeline |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/donald-trumps-anti-semitism-controversies-a-timeline/ |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en-US}} In his first presidency, he was accused of espousing antisemitism on numerous occasions. In a speech at the Israeli-American Council in 2019, Trump referenced classic antisemitic tropes in his appeal to Jewish voters.{{Cite magazine |first=Bess |last=Levin|date=December 9, 2019 |title=Trump Goes Full Anti-Semite in Room Full of Jewish People |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/12/donald-trump-anti-semitic-remarks |access-date=2022-10-27 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}} Discourse around Trump's relationship with Judaism in America was revived later in his presidency. In October 2022, Trump called for American Jews to "appreciate Israel before it's too late", aligning with his past claims that American Jews no longer love Israel.{{Cite web |first= Summer |last=Concepcion|title=Trump attacks American Jews, says they must 'get their act together' on Israel 'before it's too late' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-attacks-american-jews-says-must-get-act-together-israel-late-rcna52484 |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=NBC News |date=October 16, 2022 |language=en}}

The New York Times has accused the Trump campaign of using antisemitic imagery, tropes, and dog whistles in campaign emails, including references to George Soros conspiracy theories, images of money mixed with Stars of David, and terminology such as "globalists" and "cabal".{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/us/antisemitism-republicans-trump.html |title=How Republicans Echo Antisemitic Tropes Despite Declaring Support for Israel |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=9 May 2024 |accessdate=2025-05-17 |last1=Yourish |first1=Karen |last2=Ivory |first2=Danielle |last3=Valentino-Devries |first3=Jennifer |last4=Lemonides |first4=Alex }}

On August 20, 2019, after a reporter asked "Should there be any change in U.S. aid to Israel?", Donald Trump stated within his answer, "And I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty." Trump counterposed the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, which he represented. The utterance caused outrage,{{Cite news |first=Sophie |last=Lewis |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-jews-any-jewish-people-who-vote-for-democrats-show-great-disloyalty-lack-of-knowledge/ |title=Trump says any Jewish people who vote for Democrats show 'lack of knowledge or great disloyalty' |work=CBS News |date=August 20, 2019 |access-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218211730/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-jews-any-jewish-people-who-vote-for-democrats-show-great-disloyalty-lack-of-knowledge/ |url-status=live }} shock and disdain{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/21/trump-american-jewish-democrats-response-antisemitic-trope |title=Trump stands by antisemitic trope that sparked anger among Jewish Americans |last1=Pilkington |first1=Ed |date=August 21, 2019 |work=The Guardian |access-date=August 21, 2019 |last2=Helmore |first2=Edward |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821152114/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/21/trump-american-jewish-democrats-response-antisemitic-trope |url-status=live }} from Jewish leaders and citizens in the United States.{{Cite news |date=August 21, 2019 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/21/jewish-democratic-trump-loyalty-1470453 |title=Jewish Dems rage over Trump's 'disloyalty' comments |last=Levine |first=Marianne |work=Politico |access-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218211727/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/21/jewish-democratic-trump-loyalty-1470453 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=August 20, 2019 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/20/trump-jewish-citizens-voting-democrats-show-great-disloyalty/2065669001/ |title=Trump: Jews voting for Democrats show 'great disloyalty' |last=Behrmann |first=Savannah |work=USA Today |access-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821034756/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/20/trump-jewish-citizens-voting-democrats-show-great-disloyalty/2065669001/ |url-status=live }} They claimed that the president was perpetuating antisemitic stereotypes.{{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/benjamin-netanyahu-religion-israel-middle-east-race-and-ethnicity-1bc3065eb2e4414289ef0ac1ac4ebaf7 |title=Trump: Any Jew voting Democratic is uninformed or disloyal |first1=Jonathan |last1=Lemire |first2=Darlene |last2=Superville |date=August 21, 2019 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818073551/https://apnews.com/article/benjamin-netanyahu-religion-israel-middle-east-race-and-ethnicity-1bc3065eb2e4414289ef0ac1ac4ebaf7 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/like-the-king-of-israel-trump-unleashes-bizarre-twitter-storm-1.7728867|title='Like the King of Israel': Trump Unleashes Bizarre Twitter Storm Day After 'Disloyal' Jews Comment|date=August 21, 2019|work=Haaretz|access-date=August 21, 2019|agency=Associated Press|archive-date=August 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821141347/https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/like-the-king-of-israel-trump-unleashes-bizarre-twitter-storm-1.7728867|url-status=live}} Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders responded at a campaign rally in Iowa City, "I am a proud Jewish person, and I have no concerns about voting Democratic. And in fact, I intend to vote for a Jewish man to become the next president of the United States."{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/458185-sanders-responds-to-trump-im-a-proud-jewish-person-with-no-concerns-about|title=Sanders to Trump: 'I am a proud Jewish person' with 'no concerns about voting Democratic'|last=Klar|first=Rebecca|date=August 20, 2019|work=The Hill|access-date=August 21, 2019|archive-date=March 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313174716/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/458185-sanders-responds-to-trump-im-a-proud-jewish-person-with-no-concerns-about|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/sanders-responds-to-trump-i-intend-to-vote-for-a-jewish-democrat-for-president-1.7728726|title=Sanders Responds to Trump: I Intend to Vote for a Jewish Democrat to Be the Next President|date=August 21, 2019|work=Haaretz|access-date=August 21, 2019|archive-date=August 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821142140/https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/sanders-responds-to-trump-i-intend-to-vote-for-a-jewish-democrat-for-president-1.7728726|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|first=Mairead|last=McArdle|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/news/sanders-hits-back-at-trump-over-jewish-loyalty-comments/|title=Sanders Hits Back at Trump Over Jewish 'Loyalty' Comments|date=August 21, 2019|work=National Review|access-date=August 21, 2019|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806172604/https://www.nationalreview.com/news/sanders-hits-back-at-trump-over-jewish-loyalty-comments/|url-status=live}}

On November 22, 2022, Trump had a private dinner at Mar-a-Lago with Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), who brought Nick Fuentes along with him. Fuentes is a prominent Holocaust-denier and antisemite, and Ye had made a widely reported antisemitic comments during the months before the dinner. Trump later stated that he hadn't known of Fuentes' beliefs; however, in discussing the dinner, Trump did not condemn his guests' antisemitism.{{Cite web |last=Danner |first=Chas |date=2022-11-26 |title=What We Know About Trump's Dinner With White Supremacist Nick Fuentes |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/11/what-we-know-about-donald-trumps-dinner-with-nick-fuentes.html |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=Intelligencer |language=en}} Both Republicans and Democrats criticized his choice to dine with them.{{Cite news |last1=Scott |first1=Eugene |last2=Dawsey |first2=Josh |date=2022-11-25 |title=Trump criticized for dining with far-right activist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/25/trump-fuentes-ye/ |access-date=2025-06-01 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}

On March 18, 2024, Trump was criticized for claiming "any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion", and that "they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed". Following mounting criticism from Jewish groups, Trump's campaign responded that "Trump is right", and that the Democratic Party "has turned into a full-blown anti-Israel, antisemitic, pro-terrorist cabal". Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League called Trump's comments "defamatory and patently false". Chief executive Amy Spitalnick of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs claimed that Trump was "further normalizing dangerous antisemites". Trump's claims were accused of evoking an antisemitic trope that Jews have a 'dual loyalty' and are more loyal to Israel than to their own countries. Trump's comments echoed previous comments he made during his presidency by accusing Jews who vote for Democrats as "disloyal".{{Cite web |last=Cameron |first=Chris |date=March 18, 2024 |title=Trump Says Jews Who Support Democrats 'Hate Israel' and 'Their Religion'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/18/us/politics/trump-israel-jewish-voters.html |access-date=March 18, 2024 |website=The New York Times |language=en |archive-date=March 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318234714/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/18/us/politics/trump-israel-jewish-voters.html |url-status=live |issn=0362-4331}} Following his initial comments on March 18, Trump repeatedly accused Jews who voted or intended to vote for Joe Biden of betraying their religious and cultural identities.{{Cite web |last=Gold |first=Michael |date=May 9, 2024 |title=Trump Again, and Repeatedly, Denounces Jews Who Support Biden|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/us/politics/trump-biden-jews.html|access-date=March 18, 2024 |website=The New York Times|language=en |archive-date=May 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511015706/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/us/politics/trump-biden-jews.html |url-status=live |issn=0362-4331}}

Kamala Harris' campaign and several non-partisan Jewish organizations criticized Trump's comments during an antisemitism conference on September 19 where he stated that "if I don't win this election" then "the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss" and continued criticizing liberal Jews for "voting for the enemy" by claiming the Democratic party had a "hold, or curse" on Jewish Americans.{{Cite news|last1=Cameron|first1=Chris|last2=Gold|first2=Michael|date=September 20, 2024|title=Trump Says That if He Loses, 'the Jewish People Would Have a Lot to Do' With It|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/19/us/politics/trump-jews-antisemitism-israel.html|access-date=September 20, 2024|website=The New York Times |language=en|archive-date=September 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920090601/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/19/us/politics/trump-jews-antisemitism-israel.html|url-status=live|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|last1=Farrow|first1=Fritz|last2=Oppenheim|first2=Oren|date=September 20, 2024|title=Harris campaign, Jewish groups fiercely criticize Trump preemptively blaming Jewish voters if he loses|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/harris-campaign-jewish-groups-fiercely-criticize-trump-preemptively/story?id=113878799|access-date=September 20, 2024|website=ABC News|language=en|archive-date=September 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921004731/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/harris-campaign-jewish-groups-fiercely-criticize-trump-preemptively/story?id=113878799|url-status=live}}

In September 2024, at an event dedicated to countering antisemitism, Donald Trump complained about his lack of support among Jewish voters and stated that Jewish voters would be substantially to blame if he lost the 2024 presidential election, saying that "I'm not going to call this a prediction, but, in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss if I’m at 40%." In response, Doug Emhoff said that Trump had "once again fanned the flames of antisemitism by trafficking in tropes blaming and scapegoating Jews."{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-jewish-voters-will-bear-lot-blame-loses-fighting-antisemiti-rcna171938 |title=At a 'fighting antisemitism' event, Trump says Jewish voters will bear 'a lot' of blame if he loses |date=20 September 2024 |publisher=NBC News |accessdate=2025-05-18}} ADL chief Jonathan Greenblatt said that Trump had undermined his own message against antisemitism by "employing numerous antisemitic tropes and anti-Jewish stereotypes", including the accusation of dual loyalty.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-us-jewish-groups-biden-and-harris-slam-trump-for-saying-jews-to-blame-if-he-loses/ |title=Top US Jewish groups, Biden and Harris slam Trump for saying Jews to blame if he loses |publisher=The Times of Israel |accessdate=2025-05-18}}

In March 2025, Trump made comments denying the Jewishness of Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democrats in the United States Senate: "As far as I'm concerned, he's become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He's not Jewish any more. He's a Palestinian." Trump's remarks were condemned by rights groups as antisemitic and anti-Palestinian.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-muslim-groups-condemn-trumps-use-of-palestinian-as-slur-to-put-down-schumer/ |title=Jewish, Muslim groups condemn Trump's use of 'Palestinian' as slur to put down Schumer |publisher=The Times of Israel |accessdate=2025-03-29}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/13/trump-schumer-palestinian-slur/ |title=Trump draws condemnation for using 'Palestinian' as a slur against Schumer |newspaper=Washington Post |accessdate=2025-03-29}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/12/trump-chuck-schumer-palestinian-slur |title=Trump condemned for using 'Palestinian' as slur to attack Schumer |work=The Guardian |date=12 March 2025 |accessdate=2025-03-29 |last1=Pengelly |first1=Martin }} In response, Schumer alleged that Trump "does not do enough to combat antisemitism...even though I don't think he's antisemitic himself."{{cite web|url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/706000/chuck-schumer-antisemitism-in-america-trump/ |title='Don't tell my mother': Schumer responds to Trump saying he's 'not Jewish anymore' |date=21 March 2025 |publisher=The Forward |accessdate=2025-03-29}}

In a May 2025 poll of registered US voters who are Jewish, 52% viewed Trump as somewhat or very antisemitic. Sixty-four percent disapproved of Trump's efforts to combat antisemitism, compared to 36% who approved.{{Cite web |last=Gilson |first=Grace |date=2025-05-14 |title=Half of American Jewish voters believe Trump is antisemitic, poll finds |url=https://www.jta.org/2025/05/14/united-states/half-of-american-jewish-voters-believe-trump-is-antisemitic-poll-finds |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}

In 2025, former Anti-Defamation League chief Abraham Foxman denounced the ADL and its new chief Jonathan Greenblatt as well as other Jewish organizations and figures for an allegedly muted response to antisemitism within the Trump administration and among Trump supporters, comparing the response to Stockholm syndrome. Regarding the 2024 Donald Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, Foxman stated that "There's no question about it: For the American Jewish Committee, the ADL, Conference of Presidents, the federations, all these institutions, if this happened six months ago, they would be out there condemning racism and antisemitism and hate speech."{{cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/2024/10/30/united-states/former-adl-chief-abe-foxman-slams-group-for-muted-response-to-trumps-msg-rally |title=Former ADL chief Abe Foxman slams group for muted response to Trump's MSG rally |date=30 October 2024 |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |accessdate=2025-05-17}}

{{Seealso|Executive Order 13899|Executive Order 14188|Activist deportations in the second Trump presidency}}

During his first administration, on December 11, 2019, Trump signed Executive Order 13899, "Combating Anti-Semitism," aimed at making it easier to use laws that prohibit institutional discrimination against people based on race, color or national origin to punish discrimination against Jewish people, and classifying opposition to the existence of Israel as antisemitism.{{cite web|first1=Veronica |last1=Stracqualursi |first2=Paul |last2=LeBlanc |first3=Betsy |last3=Klein|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/10/politics/trump-order-judaism-nationality/index.html|title=Trump to sign order to interpret Judaism as a nationality |website=CNN|date=December 11, 2019 |access-date=December 11, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/us/politics/trump-antisemitism-executive-order.html|title=Trump Targets Anti-Semitism and Israeli Boycotts on College Campuses|first1=Peter|last1=Baker|first2=Maggie|last2=Haberman|newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 10, 2019}}

During his second administration, on January 29, 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14188, "Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism", which focuses on antisemitism in educational settings, especially in higher education.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Tovia |date=2025-01-30 |title=Trump order cracks down on antisemitism and could deport foreign student protesters |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/30/g-s1-45468/trump-antisemitism-executive-order-protests-deport-hamas |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250303235443/https://www.npr.org/2025/01/30/g-s1-45468/trump-antisemitism-executive-order-protests-deport-hamas |archive-date=2025-03-03 |access-date=2025-03-14 |work=NPR |language=en}} Trump claimed that there has been an "explosion of antisemitism" in the United States and vowed to arrest and deport "Hamas sympathizers" and "pro-jihadist" student protesters.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/30/g-s1-45468/trump-antisemitism-executive-order-protests-deport-hamas |title=Trump order cracks down on antisemitism and could deport foreign student protesters |work=NPR |date=30 January 2025 |publisher=NPR |accessdate=2025-03-29 |last1=Smith |first1=Tovia }} The executive order has been used in attempts to deport holders of student visas and green cards who have expressed pro-Palestinian views,{{Cite web |date=2025-03-27 |title=Who are the students Trump wants to deport? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/27/who-are-the-students-trump-wants-to-deport |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} and in investigations into 60 colleges and universities based on their alleged failures to protect students from "antisemitic harassment and discrimination".{{Cite web |last1=Tsui |first1=Karina |last2=Wolfe |first2=Elizabeth |date=2025-03-11 |title=Department of Education investigating 60 colleges and universities over antisemitism claims |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/us/department-of-education-warning-universities-title-vi-antisemitism/index.html |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=CNN |language=en}} Such uses have been supported by some Jewish groups and opposed by others,{{Cite news |last1=Tracy |first1=Marc |last2=Shapiro |first2=Eliza |date=2025-03-11 |title=Among American Jews, a Schism Over ICE Arrest of Columbia Activist |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/nyregion/palestinian-activist-arrest-jewish-community.html |access-date=2025-04-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} with more than one of the latter groups suggesting that antisemitism is being used as a guise for authoritarianism.{{Cite news |last=Ventre |first=Sarah |date=2025-04-11 |title=Jewish students at Georgetown protest detention of professor Badar Khan Suri |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/04/11/g-s1-59580/jewish-students-at-georgetown-protest-detention-of-professor-badar-khan-suri |access-date=2025-04-12 |work=NPR |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Rafi |date=2025-04-08 |title=Jewish communities are wary of Trump's push to punish antisemitism |url=https://theweek.com/politics/antisemitism-jewish-commities-trump-israel-universities-brown-columbia |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=The Week US |language=en}} When polled in May, 49% of registered Jewish voters said that the actions taken against higher education had increased antisemitism, compared to 25% who believed that they reduced antisemitism, and when asked about the arrest and deportation of pro-Palestinian protesters, 61% said that it increased antisemitism, compared to 20% who said it reduced antisemitism.

Lily Sawyer-Kaplan, a lawyer with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, which enforces federal laws that prohibit various kinds of discrimination, resigned in April 2025, citing pressure "to use antisemitism as a pretext to undermine free speech."{{Cite news |last=Sawyer-Kaplan |first=Lily |date=2025-05-29 |title=I'm an Arab and Jewish Attorney. I Quit DOJ When I Saw Who They Were Accusing of Antisemitism. |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/05/antisemitism-why-i-quit-trump-doj.html |access-date=2025-05-29 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}

In April 2025, a group of 10 major Jewish-American organizations issued a joint statement denouncing the Trump administration's antisemitism policies. The statement said that "These actions do not make Jews — or any community — safer. Rather, they only make us less safe." The organizations that denounced Trump's antisemitism policies included the Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, HIAS, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the American Conference of Cantors, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/leading-us-jewish-groups-denounce-trump-administrations-campus-crackdown/ |title=10 leading US Jewish groups denounce Trump administration's campus crackdown |publisher=The Times of Israel |accessdate=2025-05-17}}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Anti-Palestinianism
• Antisemitism in US higher education
• Antisemitism at Columbia University
• Christian Zionism
• Donald Trump and fascism
• Elon Musk salute controversy
• Israel–United States relations
• New antisemitism
• Normalization of antisemitism
• Philosemitism
• Racial views of Donald Trump
• Rhetoric of Donald Trump
• Views of Elon Musk
• Weaponization of antisemitism
• Zionist antisemitism

{{div col end}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://democrats.org/news/donald-trump-continues-his-long-history-of-pushing-antisemitic-tropes/ Donald Trump Continues His Long History of Pushing Antisemitic Tropes], Democrats.org
• [https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-fueling-antisemitism-opinion-1959915 Donald Trump Is Fueling Antisemitism | Opinion], Newsweek
• [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/04/01/adl-jonathan-greenblatt-jewish-palestinian-removal/ If the ADL thinks Trump’s thuggery is protecting Jews, it’s wrong | Opinion], Washington Post
• [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/donald-trumps-anti-semitic-obsession-with-jews Donald Trump’s Anti-Semitic Obsession With Jews], Talking Points Memo

{{Antisemitism in the United States}}{{Donald Trump}}

Category:Antisemitism in the United States

Category:Definition of antisemitism controversy

Category:Donald Trump controversies

Category:Articles containing video clips

Category:Philosemitism

Category:Right-wing antisemitism

Category:Views of Judaism by individual

Category:Zionism and antisemitism

Category:Zionism in the United States