A longtime adviser to presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump said Wednesday that the billionaire can’t be held responsible for anti-Semitism among his supporters.
Asked on JM in the AM about the “backlash” over Trump supporters with “questionable backgrounds,” Jason Greenblatt, an executive vice president for the Trump Organization, said, “I do not think Mr. Trump can be responsible for people who are anti-Semitic who support him.”
“He has come out clearly against anti-Semitism,” continued Greenblatt, who practices Orthodox Judaism and advises Trump on Israel.
He went on to say Trump has already denounced anti-Semitism “countless times,” most recently in an interview with the New York Times when the presumptive GOP nominee said anti-Semitism “has no place in our society.”
“[It] really bothers me that people think that he constantly has to repeat statements he has said before,” Greenblatt said.
Greenblatt also addressed widespread anti-Semitic hate and abuse online that’s been linked to the 2016 election, saying he’s also been targeted with “anti-Semitic stances and statements.”
“Social media is such that people can simply say whatever they want constantly,” he said. “ I just think that they have to understand that he has a campaign to run, he has an election to win, and he can’t keep going around saying ‘I denounce anti-Semitism.’ He said it clearly and emphatically on multiple times.”
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, announced Wednesday that it recruited top journalists, academics and others for a task force on the widespread anti-Semitic and bigoted attacks targeting journalists covering the 2016 campaign.
Listen to the full interview over at Nachum Segal Network.
He’s not responsible for his anti-semitic supporters, he’s not responsible for the white supremacists, he’s not responsible for the racists, misogynists, violent protesters…okay. When will Trump be held responsible for anything?
Trump thinks it might be easier for everyone to be nicer to Jews if they knew when meeting one what their religious affiliation was. Maybe if somehow they were provided some distinctive mark or emblem to display on their clothing it would encourage more polite treatment.
[quote]He went on to say Trump has already denounced anti-Semitism “countless times,” most recently in an interview with the New York Times when the presumptive GOP nominee said anti-Semitism “has no place in our society.”
“[It] really bothers me that people think that he constantly has to repeat statements he has said before,” Greenblatt said.[/quote]
He’s very consistent about that message is he? I recall Wolf Blitzer asking Trump about the death threats and antisemitic slurs aimed at Julia Ioffe by Trump’s “fans.” (Ioffe wrote the GQ article featuring Melania.)
[quote]Blitzer interrupted: “But the anti-Semitic death threats that have followed –”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I don’t know anything about that. You mean fans of mine?” Trump replied.
“Supposed fans of posting these very angry – but your message to these fans is?” Blitzer continued.
“I don’t have a message to the fans,” the billionaire said. “A woman wrote an article that’s inaccurate.”[/quote]
Really? And how many times has President Obama had to reiterate his American-ness, largely because of unprincipled instigators like Trump?
Hey Greenblatt…It runs in the family. Those poor anti-semites were PROVOKED… Really?
Melania Trump said a journalist barraged with anti-Semitic death threats had “provoked” Trump supporters by writing a controversial profile of her.
“I don’t control my fans, but I don’t agree with what they’re doing. I understand what you mean, but there are people out there who maybe went too far. She provoked them,” Melania told DuJour magazine.