President Donald Trump faced criticism from Jewish leaders and lawmakers on Friday after using a term historically associated with antisemitic stereotypes during a rally in Iowa the night before.
While speaking about estate taxes, Trump referred to lenders as “Shylocks and bad people,” a comment that drew swift backlash, The New York Times reports.
When questioned about the remark afterward, the president claimed he was unaware that the word carried antisemitic connotations.
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The term “Shylock” originates from Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” and has long been condemned for promoting damaging Jewish stereotypes, the Times adds.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) took to social media to call out the president’s language, labeling it “blatant and vile antisemitism” and accusing Trump of intentional provocation.
Goldman emphasized that genuine opposition to antisemitism requires denouncing it across the political spectrum.
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) called the term “one of the most recognizable antisemitic slurs in the English language.”
He said that the comment demonstrated how antisemitism within Trump’s administration is systemic, not isolated, and pointed directly to the president as the source.
The Anti-Defamation League condemned the remark as well, stating that invoking “Shylock” reinforces age-old prejudices linking Jewish identity to greed. The organization called the language “extremely offensive and dangerous,” The Times adds.
Trump, who has previously stated that combating antisemitism is a priority of his administration, has taken steps like pulling federal funding from universities over alleged antisemitic activity and revoking visas for demonstrators supporting Palestinian causes.
Still, critics argue that his pattern of rhetoric undermines those efforts.
Parallels were drawn to a 2014 incident when then-Vice President Joe Biden apologized for using the same slur during a speech, the report reads.
Biden’s prompt acknowledgment of the mistake stood in contrast to Trump’s claim of ignorance.
Public scrutiny continues to grow over the administration’s language and actions as Jewish organizations and lawmakers call for more consistent accountability.
Trump’s comment has reignited debate over the boundaries between free expression and the propagation of harmful stereotypes.
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