“Trump has far too often tolerated all kinds of antisemitic things. He regards the Jews as transactional. So money? The Jews. Votes? The Jews. But no real understanding of who we are,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer on MSNBC earlier this week.
“In Charlottesville, both sides are to blame… He sits down with a known bigoted antisemite (Nick) Fuentes… He has a lot of people in his administration who believe in this antisemitic Great Replacement Theory….”
“And he cut off – [and] we worked very hard for this – a nonprofit security grant [that provided] money for synagogues that have been accosted by antisemitic activities. For doors, for windows, for protection.”
“If you look at his actions, he’s not protecting Jewish people.”
Schumer’s comments come after Trump made controversial remarks about Schumer’s Jewish identity, calling him “a Palestinian” and claiming he is “no longer Jewish.” This language has been widely condemned by Jewish and Muslim advocacy groups as both antisemitic and racist, with many arguing that Trump’s use of “Palestinian” as a slur dehumanizes Palestinians and weaponizes antisemitism.
Schumer, who is the highest-ranking Jewish official in U.S. history, has written a book titled “Antisemitism in America: A Warning,” which addresses these issues.
Trump’s history of making provocative statements about Jewish people includes suggesting that Jews would be to blame if he lost the 2024 election and implying that Jewish voters are disloyal to Israel if they support Democrats. Schumer and other critics argue that Trump’s actions and rhetoric do not protect Jewish people but rather exploit antisemitism for political gain.