Former President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Jewish people would be responsible if he loses the 2024 election sparked widespread condemnation on social media. Speaking at a summit on combating antisemitism, hosted by Jewish philanthropist Miriam Adelson, Trump made the controversial remark, tying Jewish voters to his potential defeat.
“In my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss,” Trump stated. He went on to explain that if he is polling at 40%, the implication is that 60% are voting for Vice President Kamala Harris, adding, “If I’m at 40%, think of it, that means 60% are voting for Kamala, who in particular is a bad Democrat. Democrats are bad for Israel. Very bad.”
He further claimed that a powerful faction of the Democratic Party is anti-Israel, asserting that “they’ll never change.” Trump also revived a previous attack on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), labeling him a “Palestinian” and sarcastically adding, “I saw him the other day. He was dressed in one of their robes. That’ll be next.”
He then attributed his criticism of Jewish voters to what he called the “Democrat hold, or curse, on you.” During his speech, Trump appeared to conflate Israel with American Jews, saying, “Israel, I believe, has to defeat [Harris]. More than any people on earth, Israel has to defeat her.” The former president’s remarks were met with a swift backlash online. National security attorney Bradley Moss questioned on X (formerly Twitter), “Is this supposed to get Jewish Americans to vote for him?”
Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, condemned Trump’s statements as “dangerous antisemitism — intended to sow division and distrust and undermine our democracy.” Spitalnick warned that Trump’s rhetoric could “lead to (more) violence against Jews,” and urged everyone to call out such divisive language.
Spitalnick also demanded that Trump stop “dividing Jews into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ camps,” saying, “Stop labeling those who don’t support you as crazy or disloyal. Stop playing into dual loyalty tropes. All of it makes Jews less safe.”
Bill Grueskin, a faculty member at Columbia Journalism School, sharply criticized Trump’s comments, particularly his assertion that Jewish people would be responsible for his loss. Grueskin called it “the kind of thing a guy would say as he leaves town right before a pogrom.”
Anti-Trump Republican George Conway echoed the sentiment, tweeting, “Blaming Jews for stuff? I think I recall reading somewhere that there’s some kind of term for that.” Alex Zeldin, a columnist for The Forward, also weighed in, accusing Trump of “laying the groundwork for a potential election loss and saying to a Jewish audience that he will blame the Jews if he loses.”
Trump’s comments have reignited debates about his handling of sensitive issues related to Jewish voters and Israel, further intensifying criticism as the 2024 election approaches.