Questioned About Anti-Semitism, Trump Brags About Election Victory

President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Donald Trump responded Wednesday to a question about increased anti-Semitic incidents after his election by bragging about his victory in the Electoral College and citing his Jewish relatives.

“Well, I just want to say that we are very honored by the victory that we had,” Trump told a reporter who asked him to respond to Jewish constituents who are concerned about xenophobic and racist undercurrents in his administration.

“306 Electoral College votes, we were not supposed to crack 220, you know that, right?” said during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “There was no way to 221. But then they said there’s no way to 270.”

Trump said that “there’s tremendous enthusiasm” for his administration’s agenda, which the President described as stopping “a lot of bad things.”

“We are going to stop crime in this country. We are going to do everything within our power to stop long-simmering racism and every other thing that’s going on,” Trump said.

He went on to suggest that internal divisions within the United States were one of the factors behind his victory.

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to do something about that. And you know it’s something that was very important to me,” Trump said. “As far as people, Jewish people, so many friends, a daughter who happens to be here right now, a son-in-law, and three beautiful grandchildren.”

He pledged to make a difference “over the next three, four or eight years.”

“I think a lot of good things are happening and you’re going to see a lot of love,” Trump said. “You’re going to see a lot of love. OK?”

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. “As far as people, Jewish people, so many friends, a daughter who happens to be here right now, a son-in-law, and three beautiful grandchildren.”

    Yep, he went there. Some of his best friends…

  2. Oh Donnie Dearest Leader replied: Me and Vlad went full-blown Holocaust on Hillary.

  3. I guess we will have to bear with that bragging for the four months or so that he will be in office…

  4. From Op-Ed in NYT today suggesting we’re on the road to another Watergate…

    It’s been a long time, but remember this: The road to Watergate and the resignation of Richard Nixon began in April 1969, three months after his inauguration, when the president ordered Mr. Kissinger to wiretap members of his own staff in an effort to stop embarrassing leaks of secret information. One thing led to another until the commander in chief was athwart the Constitution.

    It’s been barely three weeks since the Trump team took office, and a distinct aroma has started wafting out of Washington, what Mr. Kissinger is said to have called “the odious smell of truth.”

    @esperia @centralasiaexpat @tena @mattinpa @thunderclapnewman @mondfledermaus

  5. Avatar for tena tena says:

    I think we’re way past suggesting at this juncture.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

211 more replies

Participants

Avatar for george_c Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for navamske Avatar for squirreltown Avatar for inversion Avatar for mantan Avatar for sniffit Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for cd Avatar for sister Avatar for dickweed Avatar for darrtown Avatar for tena Avatar for tiowally Avatar for j.dave Avatar for katscherger Avatar for coprophagoussmile Avatar for clare Avatar for drtv Avatar for loss_mentality

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: