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Donald Trump presents himself as a friend of Israel. But in order to win votes, he also uses anti-Semitic clichés – and endangers Jews in the USA.
Washington, DC – Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has once again criticized Jewish voters in the USA. At the same time, he accused his rival Kamala Harris of not doing enough to promote the interests of Jews in Israel and the USA. In the past, it was often Trump himself who was criticized for anti-Semitic statements.
At a campaign rally in Washington on Thursday (September 20) that explicitly opposed anti-Semitism, Trump said that “the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the defeat” if he did not win the US election in November. At a second event aimed at Israeli Americans, Trump repeated this claim. There he blamed Jews who vote “for the enemy,” i.e. the US Democrats, for a hypothetical destruction of Israel. This, he believes, will occur if he does not return to the White House. Several US media outlets, including CNN and the New York Times reported on this.
Trump blames Jews for possible defeat in US election – and criticizes Harris
According to reports, Trump gave vent to his anger at Jewish Americans who did not vote for him. He has repeatedly said in the past that Jewish Democratic voters should “have their heads examined,” a statement he made again. The upcoming elections, said the former president at the first event on Thursday evening, are “the most important” in Israel’s history. If Harris wins, he believes the state will be “obliterated,” “wiped off the face of the earth,” and “cease to exist.”
Donald Trump at the National Summit of the Israel-American Council (IAC) in Washington. © IMAGO/Michael Brochstein
But according to media reports, Trump seemed particularly concerned that Jewish voters were ungrateful towards him. “A poll just came out. I’m at 40 percent,” Trump claimed, without naming the poll. That means “60 percent are voting for someone who hates Israel.” He therefore regretted that many Jews would continue to vote for Harris, which “makes no sense.” In the same breath, his rival called on Trump to “officially disapprove of support for all Hamas sympathizers, anti-Semites and Israel haters on college campuses and everywhere else.”
Trump says Jews must defeat Harris – his defeat in the US election would be the downfall of Israel
At the second event, the former president went all out again. The Jewish audience must “defeat Kamala Harris more than any other people in the world,” Trump said, before promising that he would “make Israel great again.” According to US newspapers, he had previously praised his own achievements. He had “given them the Golan Heights,” “given them the Abraham Accords,” and “recognized the capital of Israel and opened the embassy in Jerusalem,” he said. Above all, however, he had “terminated the Iranian nuclear agreement, which was the worst agreement.” He was therefore “the best friend” Israel “has ever had,” which resulted in an obligation on the part of Jewish US voters.
Ultimately, however, Trump’s efforts to win Jewish votes in the US election could backfire. Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, criticized CNN Trump’s attempt to treat “Jews and Israel as political footballs” and to “divide Jews into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ camps” is “further normalizing anti-Semitism,” Spitalnick warned. The former president used a speech about anti-Semitism as an opportunity “to embrace anti-Semitic tropes and attack the American Jewish community.” But anti-Semitism should not be abused for party politics, after all, it is about “the basic security of the Jewish community.”
Trump plays with anti-Semitic clichés – and does not see Jews in the USA as full citizens
Whether this is really important to Trump seems questionable, however, based on his statements from the past. He regularly spoke about American Jews as if Israel were their country and not the United States, according to a report by Washington Post from 2022. In this context, Trump has portrayed American Jews as insufficiently grateful for his stance toward Israel and has often said or implied that his lack of support among them is inexplicable. Similar statements to those made at the two events on Thursday.
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In addition, Trump has often used anti-Semitic clichés and portrayed Jews as people who keep to themselves, or should do so, and who are successful because of their business acumen, the report continued. In a speech to the Israel-American Council in 2019, he told those gathered: “Many of you are in the real estate business, because I know you very well. You are brutal murderers. Not nice people at all. But you have to vote for me; you have no other choice.” This is in their financial self-interest, he said, as they would be “out of business in about 15 minutes” if the Democrats win. (tpn)
