Jake Turx

{{Infobox person

| name = Jake Turx

| image = File:White House press secretary Sean Spicer listens as Jake Turx asks a question at a press briefing.jpg

| caption = Turx (standing, second from left) in 2017

| birth_name = Avraham Yaakov Tarkieltaub

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|30|2017|February|26}}

| birth_place = New York City, US

| education = Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

| occupation = Journalist

| known_for = Donald Trump press conference incident while serving as Senior White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief for Ami magazine}}

Avraham Yaakov Tarkieltaub (born 1986/1987)Cannon, Carl M. (February 26, 2017) [https://www.ocregister.com/2017/02/26/the-idiocy-of-accusing-trump-of-anti-semitism/ "The Idiocy of Accusing Trump of anti-Semitism"], The Orange County Register. Retrieved September 1, 2024. {{subscription required}} "... Trump looked around the East Room before settling on 30-year-old Jake Turx ..." is an American journalist and humorist who writes under the pen name Turx. The senior White House correspondent and chief political correspondent formerly for Ami magazine and now for Mishpacha,{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-01-07 |title=Daily Kickoff: The GOP gang that could block pro-Israel legislation |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2025/01/daily-kickoff-the-gop-gang-that-could-block-pro-israel-legislation/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Jewish Insider |language=en-US}}{{cite news |date=31 December 2024 |title=Passing Torch: Ami Magazine Names Shloime Zionce to Replace Turx in White House |url=https://vinnews.com/2024/12/31/passing-torch-ami-magazine-names-shloime-zionce-to-replace-turx-in-white-house/ |access-date=3 January 2025 |work=VIN News}} he is currently a political contributor at Newsmax.{{cite news |date=24 November 2021 |title=Jake Turx Named Political Contributor at Newsmax, First Hassidic Jew to Hold Such a Position |url=https://5townscentral.com/2021/11/24/jake-turx-named-political-contributor-at-newsmax-first-hassidic-jew-to-hold-such-a-position/ |access-date=24 November 2021 |work=5 Towns Central}}

The first Hasidic Jew to become a member of the White House press corps,{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/220472193|title=Jake Turx: The Newcomer}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/17/us/politics/trump-press-conference-jake-turx.html |access-date=2017-02-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219120353/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/17/us/politics/trump-press-conference-jake-turx.html |archive-date=2017-02-19 |title=A Jewish Reporter Got to Ask Trump a Question. It Didn't Go Well.|first=Laurie|last=Goodstein|date=February 17, 2017|work=The New York Times}} Turx received international media coverage on February 16, 2017, after posing a question regarding anti-Semitism to President Donald Trump during a press conference.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/TheYoungTurks/videos/10153782389989205/ |title=The Young Turks - Cenk Uygur sits down with Jake Turx,... |publisher=Facebook |date=2016-07-20 |access-date=2017-02-23}}

Early life and education

Abraham Jacob Tarkieltaub, born in Borough Park, Brooklyn, is the eldest of eleven children.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-30 |title=VIDEO: The Story of Jake Turx – From Borough Park to the White House {{!}} Meaningful People |url=https://thelakewoodscoop.com/news/video-the-story-of-jake-turx-from-borough-park-to-the-white-house/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=The Lakewood Scoop |language=en-US}} As a child, he studied in Yeshiva Bnei Tzion of Bobov. At a young age, Turx and his family moved to Los Angeles, California. There he attended the cheder of an elementary school and Yeshivas Rav Isacsohn. For high school, he attended Hamesivta of Los Angeles, and from there went on to Telshe Yeshiva of Chicago.{{cite news |date=24 November 2021 |title=Avrohom Yaakov Terkeltaub Becomes Newsmax Contributor |url=https://matzav.com/avrohom-yaakov-terkeltaub-becomes-newsmax-contributor/ |access-date=25 November 2021 |work=Matzav.com}}

Turx studied informally at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York, under New York Times columnist Professor Ari Goldman.{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaketurx/ |title=Jake Turx | LinkedIn |access-date=2017-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720090400/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaketurx |archive-date=2015-07-20 |url-status=dead }}

Career

Turx served as a camp counselor, and then as a head counselor, in Camp Machane Yehuda/Yeshivas Hakayitz. He was a rabbi/teacher in Yeshiva Rav Isacsohn, a teacher in the Lakewood Cheder School from 2008 to 2017, and is the program director at Camp Chevra.{{cite web|url=http://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2015/11/video-offers-him-to-eat.html |title=VIDEO & PHOTOS: Resident Comes Downstairs to Find Stranger Sitting on his Kitchen Table; Offers him to Eat » The heartbeat of the lakewood community |publisher=The Lakewood Scoop |date=2015-11-05 |access-date=2017-02-23}} He is the CEO of "TurxWurx" Studio.

=Journalism=

Turx began writing for Ami magazine in February 2011. As the magazine's political correspondent, he conducted interviews with United States senators, governors, congressional representatives, and presidential candidates. Turx met with, and interviewed, every candidate for president in the 2012 primary season,{{cite web |url=http://amimagazine.org/can-newt-gingrich-save-america.html |title=Ami Magazine |publisher=Ami Magazine |date=2012-02-01 |access-date=2017-02-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111045456/http://amimagazine.org/can-newt-gingrich-save-america.html |archive-date=2014-01-11 }}{{cite web |title=Talking To Ron Paul |url=http://amimagazine.org/talking-to-ron-paul-archive.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305025107/http://amimagazine.org/talking-to-ron-paul-archive.html |archive-date=2016-03-05 |access-date=2017-02-23 |website=Ami Magazine |publisher=}} as well as more than half of the candidates of the 2016 cycle. He wrote a regular satire column for Ami, in addition to political commentary and analysis.

Since the start of the first presidency of Donald Trump in 2017, Turx has been a member of the White House press corps. He initially served as the Senior White House Correspondent and Washington Bureau Chief for Ami. In December 2024, he left Ami{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SloL2pe-UVs&feature=youtu.be |title=Episode 166 - NYC Woes With Jake Turx and Awkward Bachur |date=2025-01-08 |last=Kiddush Club - The Podcast |type=Podcast |access-date=2025-01-15 |via=YouTube}} and joined Mishpacha magazine as their Chief White House Correspondent.{{Cite twitter |number=1876419833400881493 |user=KolHaolam |title=Jake Turx joins Mishpacha Magazine after parting ways with Ami just days ago. |author=Kol Haolam |date=2025-01-06 |access-date=2025-01-07}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-01-29 |title=Historic Moment: Two Hasidic Reporters at First Trump Administration Press Briefing |url=https://5townscentral.com/2025/01/29/historic-moment-two-hasidic-reporters-at-first-trump-administration-press-briefing/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=5 Towns Central |language=en-US}} Shloime Zionce succeeded him at Ami.

Turx is on the board of marketing of The Voice of Lakewood, and a regular contributor to Zman, two local magazines.{{Cite web |title=Hunting The Ace Of Spades |url=http://www.zmanmagazine.com/PDF/Z55%20Eric%20Maddox.pdf |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=Zman Magazine}} He is also a contributor to Kol Mevaser, a Yiddish language news line.{{cite web |title=אברהם יעקב טערקלטויב |url=https://www.yiddish24.com/cat/115 |website=Yiddish24 |language=yi |access-date=2025-05-27}} In 2021, Turx was named a political contributor at Newsmax, becoming the first Hasidic person to hold such a high-profile position at a prominent American news outlet.{{cite news |date=24 November 2021 |title=Chasidic Reporter Jake Turx Named Political Contributor at Newsmax |url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/2033231/chasidic-reporter-jake-turx-named-political-contributor-at-newsmax.html |access-date=25 November 2021 |work=The Yeshiva World}}

= Trump press conference incident =

File:Jake Turx, featured on the cover of Ami Magazine, following his viral exchange with President Trump at Trump's first press conference as president.jpg, at President Trump's first press conference]]

On February 16, 2017, during President Trump's first solo press briefing, Turx began to ask a question regarding the government's response to an uptick in anti-Semitic threats across the United States. Trump cut Turx off as he was attempting to complete his question, and responded negatively, calling Turx a liar and telling him to sit down. As Trump responded to the question, Turx attempted to interject, prompting Trump to tell him to be silent.{{cite web|author=Helen Chernikoff |url=http://forward.com/news/national/363420/trump-lashes-out-at-ultra-orthodox-reporter-after-softball-question-about-a/ |title=Trump Lashes Out At Ultra-Orthodox Reporter After Softball Question About Anti-Semitism - National – |website=Forward.com |date=2017-02-16 |access-date=2017-02-23}}{{cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Nancy |date= |title=Jewish reporter scolded by Trump comes to president's defense - U.S. News |url=http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/1.772419 |access-date=2017-02-23 |newspaper=Haaretz}}{{cite news |date=16 February 2017 |title=Ynetnews News - Haredi reporter, Trump talk past each other |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4923732,00.html |access-date=2017-02-23 |newspaper=Ynetnews}}{{cite web|author=Katie Little |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/16/donald-trump-i-am-the-least-anti-semitic-racist-person-that-youve-ever-seen.html |title=Trump: I am the least anti-Semitic, racist person you've ever seen |website=Cnbc.com |date=2017-02-17 |access-date=2017-02-23}}{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/320252-reporter-who-sparred-with-trump-on-anti-semitism-says-he-remains-confident/ |title=After Trump exchange, reporter 'confident' admin will reach out to Jewish community |website=TheHill.com |date=2017-02-18 |access-date=2017-02-23}}{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-dodges-anti-semitism-question-press-conference/ |title=Trump dodges question about how his administration will combat anti-Semitism |publisher=CBS News |date=2017-02-16 |access-date=2017-02-23}}

Several Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and David Harris, the chief executive of the American Jewish Committee, criticized Trump's handling of the incident.

Following the incident, Turx appeared on several nationwide news programs, including Tucker Carlson Tonight{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/tucker-carlson-tonight/index.html#/v/5326402898001 |title=Tucker Carlson Tonight |publisher=Fox News |date= |access-date=2017-02-23}} and Anderson Cooper 360,{{cite news|last=Vales |first=Leinz |url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/17/politics/jake-turx-reporter-hopeful-trump-anti-semitism-john-berman-ac360-cnntv/index.html |title=Jewish reporter hopeful about Trump after clash over rise of anti-Semitism - CNNPolitics.com |website=Cnn.com |date=2017-02-17 |access-date=2017-02-23}} where he stated that it was his impression that the president had misunderstood his question and that he continues to believe that the president is not an anti-Semite, nor are any of his senior staff.{{cite web|url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/i-understand-why-hes-so-defensive-jewish-reporter-scolded-by-trump-comes-to-his-defense/ |title='I Understand Why He's So Defensive': Jake Turx Comes to Trump's Defense |publisher=Mediaite |date=2017-02-16 |access-date=2017-02-23}} Turx tweeted, "President Trump clearly misunderstood my question. This is highly regretful and I'm going to seek clarification".{{cite tweet|number=832306146375528450|user=JakeTurx|title=President Trump clearly misunderstood...|access-date=2017-02-23|date=2017-02-16 }} He also appeared on Al Jazeera,{{cite web|author=|url=http://matzav.com/watch-turx-appears-on-al-jazeera-at-trump-inauguration/ |title=Watch: Turx Appears on Al Jazeera at Trump Inauguration |website=Matzav.com |date=2017-01-22 |access-date=2017-02-23}} The Young Turks, CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin, i24news,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b4N1WGdGyY |title=DEBRIEF | White House Reporter Jake Trux: Anti-Semitism Upsets Trump |publisher=YouTube |date=2017-02-17 |access-date=2017-02-23}} NPR's "1A" Show,{{cite web |title=Religious Intolerance in the United States |url=http://the1a.org/shows/2017-02-23/redefining-religious-freedom |website=1A}} and Sky News.{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/video/trumps-condemnation-of-anti-semitic-threats-a-step-in-the-right-direction-10777103 |title=Trump's condemnation of anti-Semitic threats a 'step in the right direction' |website=News.sky.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-23}}

Relationship with Azerbaijan

Jake Turx has written positively about the Republic of Azerbaijan and the rise of Heydar Aliyev, father of current President Ilham Aliyev.{{cite web |url=https://www.amimagazine.org/2017/06/28/arms-open-azerbaijani-ambassador-talks-countrys-unshakable-bond-jewish-people/ |title=Arms Open To All // An Azerbaijani Ambassador Talks About His Country's Unshakable Bond With The Jewish People |website=Ami magazine |date=2017-07-28 |access-date=2023-03-08}} In 2023, in the middle of the blockade of the Republic of Artsakh, Jake Turx was one of the foreign journalists who traveled to Nagorno-Karabakh, and he reported not seeing any blockade, with cars being able to pass unhindered.{{cite web |url=https://www.azerbaycan24.com/en/journalist-from-us-no-blockade-on-lachin-road/|title=Journalist from US: No blockade on Lachin road |website=Azerbaycan24 |date=2023-02-27 |access-date=2023-03-08}} His statements have subsequently drawn criticism, with allegations that his trip was paid for and arranged by the government of Azerbaijan.{{Cite web|language=it|url=http://www.korazym.org/86370/ottantunesimo-giorno-del-artsakhblockade-un-giorno-la-giustizia-prevarra-e-arrivera-la-verita-storica-oltre-le-menzogne-azere/ |title=Ottantunesimo giorno del #ArtsakhBlockade. Un giorno la giustizia prevarrà e arriverà la verità storica, oltre le menzogne azere|author=Vik van Brantegem|website=Korazym.org|date=2023-03-02}}

Personal life

Turx, who speaks three languages—English, Yiddish, and Hebrew—resides in Washington, DC during the work week. His family lives in Toms River, New Jersey.

In 2018, for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, Turx took two of his children to the White House to partake in a "press briefing" organized for the children of the White House correspondents. Donning a MAGA cap, his son asked press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question, dubbed "kinda epic" by his father who said it was "his own idea": "After President Trump makes America great again, what job will there be for future presidents?"{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/26/606155899/kids-of-white-house-reporters-take-over-and-trump-seems-to-prefer-it|title=Kids Of White House Reporters Take Over, And Trump Seems To Prefer It|first=Amy|last=Held|date=April 26, 2018|work=National Public Radio}}{{cite web|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/sarah-huckabee-sanders-mock-white-house-press-briefing-take-your-child-to-work-day|title=Sarah Huckabee Sanders Faced a 'Tough Crowd' in a Mock White House Press Briefing on Take Your Child to Work Day|first=Araceli |last=Cruz|date=April 27, 2018|work=Teen Vogue}}

Works

{{cite book |last=Turx |date=2017 |title=Stop, Drop, & LOL: How To Safely Roll From Laughter From the Comfort Of Your Own Straitjacket |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FzeVswEACAAJ |location= |publisher=Menucha Publishers |page= |isbn=9781614653479}}

References

External links

[https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4657412/trump-shuts-jewish-reporter-anti-semitism-questions C-SPAN Video of Turx asking question at Trump Press Conference]

Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American Jews

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:21st-century American newspaper editors

Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers

Category:21st-century pseudonymous writers

Category:American male journalists

Category:American male non-fiction writers

Category:American newspaper reporters and correspondents

Category:American Orthodox Jews

Category:American political journalists