On Tuesday, President Donald Trump accused Jewish people who vote for Democrats of being either ignorant or disloyal.
“I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty,” he told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
Many are calling Trump’s comments out as anti-Semitic.
“Calling Jews ‘disloyal’ is one of the most horrendous tropes from the Holocaust. And now Trump is questioning their loyalty to America. American Jews do not have a dual loyalty. American Jews are American. This rhetoric is right out of Hitler’s playbook,” one Twitter user wrote.
Calling Jews ‘disloyal’ is one of the most horrendous tropes from the Holocaust. And now Trump is questioning their loyalty to America. American Jews do not have a dual loyalty. American Jews are American. This rhetoric is right out of Hitler’s playbook. https://t.co/fbet3I1iQZ
— Laurie (@classiclaurie) August 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/sashakatz/status/1163969636297166848
This is what antisemitism looks like.https://t.co/Gy3SPvildf
— Sophie Ellman-Golan (@EgSophie) August 20, 2019
Trump’s outrageous accusation that most American Jews show “a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty” is the most anti-Semitic thing he’s ever said. He owes an apology to the more than 6 million Jews in America—over 75% of whom voted Democrat in 2016.
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) August 21, 2019
Anti-Semitism is always reprehensible, and it’s perhaps most disturbing when it comes from the president of the United States. President Trump’s “disloyalty” comment mirrors divisive words that have come from members of Congress. This language has no place in political discourse. https://t.co/g9eASU4YLw
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) August 20, 2019
Anti-Semitic president says American Jews are ignorant and disloyal. So tell me Mr. Smartest President Ever™, am I dumb or a traitor? Tell me so I know what fucking Judenstern color I should wear on my sleeve.
— Professional Joseph (@DangThatJoe) August 21, 2019
Some Jewish people who vote Democratic are now using the hashtag #DisloyalToTrump in response.
“Today Trump said that Jewish people who vote for Democrats are disloyal. Disloyal to whom? I’m Jewish. My aunts were killed in the Holocaust. In their memory, I am proudly disloyal to Trump and the racist hatred he incites and inspires. #DisloyalToTrump,” Nancy Levine wrote on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/jmk_bnr/status/1163962848726458369
I’m Jewish. I lost at least 32 relatives in the Holocaust, including these 2 little girls, Mina & Rivka, who were killed by collaborators. You, Trump, refused to condemn men who chanted, “Jews will not replace us!” You are NOT on our side.#DisloyalToTrumphttps://t.co/Ahka2ExPjF pic.twitter.com/EAkgb6C13f
— Charlotte ציפּורה Issyvoo (@CIssyvoo) August 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/tckalways/status/1163972172991348736
Today Trump said that Jewish people who vote for Democrats are disloyal. Disloyal to whom? I’m Jewish. My aunts were killed in the Holocaust. In their memory, I am proudly disloyal to Trump and the racist hatred he incites and inspires. #DisloyalToTrump https://t.co/4Wem9Gqgwp
— Nancy Levine Stearns ✍️ (@nancylevine) August 20, 2019
I stand in solidarity with my Jewish sisters and brothers and am passionately #DisloyalToTrump.
— Shelby Kent-Stewart ™ (@ShelbyKStewart) August 21, 2019
In 2017, at the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, white nationalists chanted, “Jews will not replace us.” The rally was met with anti-white nationalist protesters. Trump would later say that there were “very fine people on both sides.”
The comment comes amid ongoing tension between Israel and Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). on Aug. 15, both congresswomen were barred from entering the Jewish state because they are supporters of the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel. Omar has since called for the U.S. to reconsider giving Israel aid in light of its decision. Even though Trump refused to take any credit for Israel’s choice, he expressed continued support for Israel and its ban on the congresswomen.
“I have nothing to do with it,” Trump said about Israel’s decision to bar the politicians from entry. “But I don’t blame them for doing what they did. I think it would’ve been very bad to let them in.”
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