Trump Joins the Fight Against Antisemitism on the Right

Welcome to the fight, President Trump. That’s our reaction to the 47th president’s comments to the Times in respect of antisemites that “I think we don’t need them. I think we don’t like them.” He went on to reflect that “My daughter happens to be Jewish, beautiful, three grandchildren are Jewish. I’m very proud of them. I’m very proud of the whole, that whole family. I am the least antisemitic person probably there is anywhere in the world.”Mr. Trump’s remarks come amid the reality that antisemitism is resurgent on the right. They serve as a tonic to the equivocations that have become de rigueur from, say, Vice President Vance, who has denounced “purity tests” and has argued that conservatives “have far more important work to do than canceling each other.” He told the crowd at Turning Point USA’s Amfest confab that he “didn’t bring a list of conservatives to denounce or to deplatform.”One of those conservatives whom Mr. Vance refuses to denounce is the podcaster Tucker Carlson. The vice president told UnHerd that it is “frankly absurd” for one to suggest that Mr. Carlson’s views are “somehow completely anathema to conservatism.” Meanwhile, the group StopAntisemitism accuses Mr. Carlson of “platforming and praising Holocaust revisionists and Nazi apologists” while “hiding behind irony.”One of those apologists is Nick Fuentes, who deems himself a “fan” of Stalin and calls Hitler “awesome.” The Times asked Mr. Trump about a 2022 dinner at Mar-a-Lago where the president dined with Mr. Fuentes. Mr. Trump replied that “I had dinner with him, one time, where he came as a guest of Kanye West,” who had said “Do you mind if I bring a friend?” Mr. Trump said “I don’t care,” adding, “And it was Nick Fuentes? I don’t know Nick Fuentes.”Meanwhile Mr. Carlson told Mr. Fuentes on air that Christians who support Israel are “seized by this brain virus.” Mr. Trump said at the time with respect to Mr. Carlson that “You can’t tell him who to interview.” Rising to Mr. Carlson’s defense was the president of the Heritage Foundation, Kevin Roberts, who called him a “leading light of America First” and denounced the “venomous coalition” troubled by his attitude toward Jews.All of this is to say that if Mr. Vance won’t denounce the likes of Messrs. Carlson and Fuentes, it is most welcome that the president appears to grasp the danger that they pose not only to Jews but to the right and, for that matter, America. Mr. Roberts’s defense of Mr. Carlson, which was apparently issued sua sponte, has driven the venerable organization to crisis and splintering. Mr. Vance’s big tent could be a prescription for chaos. Warnings of how quickly animus to Jews and Israel can spread are amply available on the left. Just this week a California state senator, Scott Wiener, running to replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi, determined that Israel is guilty of “genocide.” Every candidate vying for that seat now proclaimed that libel as fact. Mr. Wiener’s volte face followed jeers and heckling at a debate. That could be a preview of the 2028 Democratic primary. Mr. Trump’s record on policy — jawboning universities, supporting Israel in its wars, bombing Iran’s nuclear sites — all point toward a president who grasps the lay of the land on issues of importance to Jews and America. A strong statement in support of Jews has been missing. It’s nice to see Mr. Trump rise to the occasion with a deeply personal statement on behalf of himself, his family, and administration.

Trump Joins the Fight Against Antisemitism on the Right

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