Jewish Democratic congresswoman and veteran blasts Trump’s ‘disloyalty’ comments
Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.), who last fall flipped a GOP-held district that Trump carried in 2016, cited her 20-year Navy career in pushing back against Trump’s comments.
{mosads}”As a proud Jewish American, I am dismayed that the president is attacking millions in the American Jewish community as unintelligent and disloyal. These are centuries-old tropes that create an anti-Semitic environment. There is no place for such dangerous rhetoric, and the president should be ashamed to slander proud Americans,” Luria said in a statement.
Trump doubled down earlier Wednesday on his claim that Jews who vote Democratic are being “disloyal” to Jewish people and Israel.
“In my opinion, if 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 told reporters as he left the White House for a speech in Kentucky.
Trump on Tuesday said Jewish people who vote for Democrats show “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”
Trump’s comments came as he railed against Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who have been critical of Israel and last week were barred from visiting the country in an official capacity, a move encouraged by Trump. Omar earlier this week responded by saying that the U.S. should reconsider aid to Israel.
“The concept of even talking about this … of cutting off aid to Israel because of two people that hate Israel and hate Jewish people, I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation,” Trump said on Tuesday.
“To my fellow American Jews, particularly those who support [President Trump]: When President Trump uses a trope that has been used against the Jewish people for centuries with dire consequences, he is encouraging—wittingly or unwittingly—anti-Semites throughout the country and the world. Enough,” Schumer said in a statement on Wednesday.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), who is Jewish, defended the president in a series of tweets on Wednesday but acknowledged that Trump “stirred debate, controversy & criticism.”
“[Trump] has prioritized delivering important victories for the Jewish people & the US-Israel alliance as well as pushing back on the Omar/Tlaib wing of the Dem party that views these issues very differently. He’s a fighter & wont back down. On these policy priorities, he’s correct,” Zeldin tweeted.
But Zeldin added that Jewish voters have diverse views.
“As for Jewish voters, they don’t universally vote the same way, bc they prioritize different stances/issues. Some Jews, just like non-Jews, are liberal, moderate or conservative & some have made a life long pledge to always vote for a particular party,” Zeldin tweeted.
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