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)
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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?”

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