Donald Trump Sends Out Offensive Tweet: It’s ‘Textbook Anti-Semitic Imagery’
Donald Trump sent out a tweet that has many calling into question whether or not the Republican presidential nominee is anti-Semitic.
The tweet showed an image of Hillary Clinton, a pile of cash, and a red Star of David, and it drew a rapid, highly critical response.
The tweet, which photoshopped an avatar of Clinton’s face — which reads “History made” — over a pile of hundred dollar bills, was in response to a Fox News poll that asked voters how “honest / trustworthy” or “corrupt” they believe the presumptive Democratic nominee is, and the image was emblazoned with a red, six-pointed star that reads “Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!”
After an onslaught of questioning and criticism followed the original tweet, with the criticism focused on the use of the red Star of David, the Trump campaign removed it and sent out a “corrected” image, with the Star of David replaced by a red circle, instead.
Crooked Hillary — Makes History! #ImWithYou #AmericaFirst pic.twitter.com/PKQhYhMmIX
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2016
Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, converted to Judaism before marrying her husband Jared Kushner, and so Trump often makes appeals to the Jewish community by repeatedly pointing out that he has Jewish grandchildren. Republican strategist and CNN contributor Ana Navarro mocked Trump’s appeals to the Jewish community in light of his tweet.
“‘I have Jewish grandchildren’ is the new, ‘Some of my best-friends are black’ defense to an offensive comment,” she tweeted in response to the image, before it had been deleted and replaced.
Marc Lamont Hill, host of BET News and a CNN commentator, said the image Trump shared “is textbook anti-Semitic imagery” and added the hashtag “#louderthanadogwhistle.”
Others, like Navarro, noted that Trump does have a legitimate connection to the Jewish community through his daughter and son-in-law, and wondered how Ivanka herself would respond to blatant anti-Semitic imagery.
Psst… @IvankaTrump… just curious, do you think there’s anything wrong with the visuals used by your dad here? https://t.co/f8XUUsb81n
— Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner) July 2, 2016
Others expressed stunned incredulity over the tweet sent out by Donald Trump.
Yes, the GOP nominee really did put a Star of David over a pile of money and an accusation of corruption. https://t.co/BoIi1S2xUW
— Warren Bass (@warren_bass) July 2, 2016
And others expressed extreme skepticism over the idea that Donald Trump’s utilization of the Star of David could be anything but anti-Semitic imagery, used intentionally.
Would be pretty incredible for a Star of David in this context to be coincidental. https://t.co/o6V2kgEt8I
— Robert Faturechi (@RobertFaturechi) July 2, 2016
Interesting to see a major party nominee leverage the antisemitism meme so aggressively: pic.twitter.com/LmHZWegQte
— Prof. Jeff Brexit (@ProfJeffJarviss) July 2, 2016
Clinton staffers weighed in on the controversy, as well, bluntly asking Trump, “Why the Star of David?” and stating that, in light of Trump’s public stances on Muslims and Mexicans, no one should be surprised at his usage of anti-Semitic imagery.
.@realDonaldTrump will deport 11M; attack judges heritage; bar Muslims. This new divisive dogwhistle isnt surprise: pic.twitter.com/3tiOTcC9PZ
— Michael Shapiro (@mpshapiro) July 2, 2016
This certainly is not the first time that Trump has been accused of racism and anti-Semitism. For his part, Trump has repeatedly defended himself against such accusations. In his speech to AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel lobby in the United States, Trump declared his love for Jewish people and Israel.
“I love the people in this room,” Trump said. “I love Israel. I’ve been with Israel so long in terms of – I’ve received some of my greatest honors from Israel. My father before me. Incredible. My daughter Ivanka, is about to have a beautiful Jewish baby. In fact, it could be happening right now which would be very nice as far as I’m concerned.”
[Photo by Patrick Semansky/AP Images]
