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Trump Doubles Down on Calling Jews Who Vote for Democrats “Disloyal”

HeadlineAug 22, 2019

On Wednesday, President Trump referred to himself as “the chosen one” as he discussed ongoing negotiations for a trade deal with China. This was after he retweeted a conspiracy theorist who compared Trump to the king of Israel and said Jews “love him like the second coming of God.” Meanwhile, President Trump doubled down on his claim that Jewish people who vote for Democrats are either ignorant or disloyal. Trump’s initial remarks came one day earlier, as he attacked Congressmembers Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, who were recently barred from entering Israel and Palestine at Trump’s urging. This is Trump speaking to reporters outside the White House Wednesday.

President Donald Trump: “In my opinion, you vote for a Democrat, you’re being very disloyal to Jewish people, and you’re being very disloyal to Israel. And only weak people would say anything other than that.”

Trump’s remarks drew condemnation from Democrats and a large number of Jewish organizations. Rabbi Alissa Wise of Jewish Voice for Peace said in a statement that Trump had repeated an anti-Semitic trope about Jewish people holding “dual loyalty,” adding, “His fake concern for Jews doesn’t fool us, as his actions have proven he is not concerned about Jewish safety, but in using Jews to win political points with his white nationalist base. In fact, by his continued encouragement of white supremacy and his daily racist attacks on immigrants and people of color, Trump is making the American Jewish community less safe by the day.”

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