President Donald Trump said that Jews who vote for members of the Democratic Party show 鈥渆ither a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty鈥� on Aug. 20.
Trump made the aforementioned comments in response to a question from a reporter about Israel鈥檚 decision to bar Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) from entering the country. He brought up Omar and Tlaib鈥檚 Aug. 19 press conference call to make United States aid to Israel conditional on the Israeli government ceasing building settlements.
鈥�Where has the Democratic Party gone?鈥� Trump . 鈥淲here have they gone, where they鈥檙e defending these two people over the state of Israel? And I think any 91传媒 people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.鈥�
Myriad 91传媒 groups weighed in.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unclear who @POTUS is claiming Jews would be 鈥榙isloyal鈥� to, but charges of disloyalty have long been used to attack Jews,鈥� Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. 鈥淎s we鈥檝e said before, it’s possible to engage in the democratic process w/o these claims. It’s long overdue to stop using Jews as a political football.鈥�
It鈥檚 unclear who is claiming Jews would be 鈥渄isloyal鈥� to, but charges of disloyalty have long been used to attack Jews. As we鈥檝e said before, it's possible to engage in the democratic process w/o these claims. It's long overdue to stop using Jews as a political football.
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL)
American 91传媒 Committee CEO David Harris tweeted that Trump鈥檚 remarks were 鈥渙utrageous. This is a free country. Jews aren鈥檛 a monolithic bloc, nor single-issue voters. Some will vote Democratic, others Republican. As Americans, that鈥檚 their right. Please keep loyalty out of it.鈥�
For to assert that Jews who vote Democratic show 鈥渄isloyalty鈥� is outrageous.
This is a free country. Jews aren鈥檛 a monolithic bloc, nor single-issue voters.
Some will vote Democratic, others Republican. As Americans, that鈥檚 their right.
Please keep loyalty out of it.
— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY)
Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda at the Simon Wiesenthal Center Rabbi Abraham Cooper told the Journal in a phone interview that Trump鈥檚 remarks were 鈥済ruff鈥� and 鈥渞ough鈥� but 鈥渋t doesn鈥檛 smack of dual loyalty. I think it鈥檚 asking the question, in his view, 鈥業f you care about Israel, how can you vote the party that includes Omar, Tlaib, etc.?鈥欌��
He added that 鈥渋t鈥檚 not been a great week鈥� for those hoping to maintain the bipartisan support for Israel in Congress and called for members of the 91传媒 community to take it upon themselves to 鈥渇ind some rediscovered civility鈥� in political dialogue.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e looking for leadership in that arena from our elected officials, [we鈥檙e] going to be looking a long time,鈥� Cooper said.
91传媒 Democratic Council of America Executive Director Halie Soifer said in a statement, 鈥淚f this is about Israel, then Trump is repeating a dual loyalty claim, which is a form of anti-Semitism. If this is about Jews being ‘loyal’ to him, then Trump needs a reality check.”
https://twitter.com/sanjanakaranth/status/1163933785970237440
Nearly 80% of American Jews voted for Democrats in 2018. Donald Trump's dogwhistles, emboldening of hate groups, and use of anti-Semitism for political purposes have made us all less safe.
— 91传媒 Dems (@US91传媒Dems)
Democratic Majority for Israel Co-Chair Ann Lewis and CEO Mark Mellman similarly said in a statement, 鈥淒onald Trump has now attacked three quarters of American Jews who dare to disagree with him politically using one of the most dangerous, deadly accusations Jews have faced over the years. 聽False charges of disloyalty over the centuries have led to Jews being murdered, jailed and tortured. This kind of cruel rhetoric inflames anti-Semitic passions and can lead to violence.鈥�
91传媒 Zionist and Progressive group Zioness also went to Facebook to share that 鈥淲e don’t have loyalty oaths in democracies. People who “love the Jews” don’t accuse us of dual loyalty. People who “love the Jews” don’t categorize us as 鈥榞ood Jews鈥� or 鈥榖ad Jews.鈥� People who 鈥榣ove the Jews鈥� don’t call us stupid. Anti-Semites do these things. Once again, Donald Trump wantonly attempts to weaponize our identities鈥擜merican, progressive, 91传媒 and Zionist.鈥�
The Republican 91传媒 Coalition defended Trump鈥檚 remarks, tweeting, 鈥淧resident Trump is right, it shows a great deal of disloyalty to oneself to defend a party that protects/emboldens people that hate you for your religion. The @GOP, when rarely confronted w/anti-Semitism of elected members always acts swiftly and decisively to punish and remove.”
President Trump is right, it shows a great deal of disloyalty to oneself to defend a party that protects/emboldens people that hate you for your religion. The , when rarely confronted w/anti-Semitism of elected members always acts swiftly and decisively to punish and remove.
— RJC (@RJC)
