Donald Trump has come under criticism for recent comments he made about the Jewish community that some viewed as antisemitic. He noted on his social media platform Truth Social that “U.S. Jews have to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel – Before it is too late!” He added, “No President has done more for Israel than I have. Somewhat surprisingly, however, our wonderful Evangelicals are far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith, especially those living in the US.” Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League stated that “In this moment, Jewish people are feeling besieged, and when the former president of the United States makes — if you will — an unveiled threat, don’t excuse that by harkening back to policy things you may have done years ago…So when the President says ‘before it’s too late,’ it sounds like a threat in an environment where Jews already feel threatened.” And the American Jewish Committee tweeted, “Support for the Jewish state never gives one license to lecture American Jews, nor does it ever give the right to draw baseless judgments about the ties between U.S. Jews and Israel.” Not everyone concurred, however. Which of the following disagreed with the charge that Donald Trump’s remarks were antisemitic?
A. “So I don’t think so,” said Ye (formerly Kanye West). Ye also recently said “the Jewish community, especially in the music industry…they’ll take us and milk us till we die.” He also stated that Jared Kushner only brokered the Abraham peace accords between Arab nations and Israel “to make money.”
B. “So I don’t think so,” said Democratic Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez. Martinez just resigned her seat following the release of audio tapes where she said (among many racist comments), referencing former state Assemblymember Richard Katz, the “judíos cut their deal with South L.A. They are gonna screw everybody else.”
C. “So I don’t think so,” said Doug Mastriano, Republican candidate for governor of Pennsylvania. Mastriano has attacked his Democratic Jewish opponent Josh Shapiro, who he said “attended one of the most privileged schools in the nation…sending his four kids to the same privileged, exclusive, elite school.” (Shapiro attended two Hebrew day schools). And Jenna Ellis, a senior advisor to Mastriano, stated that “Josh Shapiro is at best a secular Jew.”
D. “So I don’t think so,” said Michele Reynolds, Republican candidate for an Ohio state Senate seat. Reynolds previously wrote in a book geared toward business owners that “I learned from other cultures on how they spend their money. Have you ever heard the term ‘Jew you down’? This culture has a reputation for not wasting resources.”
E. “So I don’t think so,” said Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Prime Minister, who is running for reelection. “What’s wrong with that? He has a Jewish son-in-law and his daughter converted to Judaism. His children and grandchildren are raised as Jews.” Additionally, Netanyahu supported Trump’s criticism of the Jewish community, noting “I think it reflects his frustration, which happens to many politicians when they feel they don’t get all the credit they deserve for the things they did. By the way, I have to tell you, I’m not an exception. All of us belong to that.”