Press Release

Jewish Dems Condemn Trump’s Latest Weaponization of Anti-Semitism

August 20, 2019

WASHINGTON–The Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) today condemned Donald Trump for using an anti-Semitic trope to label roughly 80% of American Jews as “disloyal.” JDCA Executive Director Halie Soifer said the following:

“We categorically reject and condemn Donald Trump’s anti-Semitic claim today that Jews who vote for Democrats are ‘disloyal.’ President Trump has no right to tell Jewish Americans that he knows what is best for us or to demand our loyalty.

“We live in a democracy, and Jewish support for the Republican Party has been halved since Trump has been in office – from 33% in 2014 to 17% in 2018 (according to Pew) – because Trump doesn’t represent Jewish or American values.

“President Trump’s repeating of anti-Semitic tropes, emboldening of hate groups, and use of anti-Semitism for political purposes have made us all less secure. Today’s remarks are yet another example of Trump continuing to weaponize and politicize anti-Semitism for his own perceived political gain, and it won’t work.

Jewish voters are deeply concerned about a range of domestic policy issues – including the startling rise of anti-Semitism during his presidency – in which Trump’s and Republicans’ policies have been antithetical to Jewish values. That is why the Democratic Party has been – and will continue to be – the political home for the overwhelming majority of American Jews.