Latest news with #Shylocks
04-07-2025
- Politics
Trump criticized for using antisemitic slur in Iowa speech
Jewish advocacy groups slammed President Donald Trump for using an anti-Semitic descriptor on Thursday during his Iowa speech celebrating the passage of his spending bill. Trump used the term "Shylocks," which evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jewish people and greed, to talk about the tax changes in the bill. "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and bar exam from, in some cases a fine banker, and in some cases Shylocks and bad people, but they took away a lot of family. They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite," he told the crowd. Shylock is a reference to the name of the Jewish moneylender and villain in playwright William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" who demands a "pound of flesh" from protagonist Antonio. The Anti-Defamation League on Friday morning criticized the president, reiterating that the term is "extremely offensive and dangerous." "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible. It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States," the organization said in a statement. Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, also condemned Trump's comments, saying in a statement it was one of "the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes." "This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories -- and it's deeply dangerous," she added. Trump was asked about his use of the word after he returned to Washington D.C. early Friday. The president, who has made combating antisemitism in schools a priority in his administration, claimed he has "never heard it that way." "To me, Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates. I've never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. I've never heard that," Trump claimed. This is not the first time that an executive branch member came under fire for using the term. In 2014, then-Vice President Joe Biden took heat for using the term during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Legal Services Corporation, referring to predatory bankers as "these Shylocks who took advantage of these women and men while overseas." Biden apologized after then-Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman criticized the use of the term. "He's correct, it was a poor choice of words, particularly as he said coming from 'someone as friendly to the Jewish community and open and tolerant an individual as is Vice President Joe Biden.' He's right," Biden said in a statement.
CNBC
04-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Trump uses antisemitic slur in remarks promoting his 'big, beautiful bill'
President Donald Trump used an antisemitic slur to describe exploitative bankers during a speech Thursday as he touted congressional passage of his massive domestic policy bill. Trump made the remark in Des Moines, Iowa, at what was billed as an event by a nonpartisan group to kick off celebrations for next year's 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. But Trump's campaign-style speech quickly took on a partisan tone, with the president expressing "hate" for the Democrats who voted against his "big, beautiful bill." While ticking through the bill's provisions, Trump described one aimed at protecting family farmers by allowing them to pay a reduced estate tax when transferring ownership to their children. "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker, and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people," Trump said. "They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite." "Shylock" is a Jewish character in "The Merchant of Venice." In its description of the Shakespeare play, the Anti-Defamation League notes that the character, who serves as an antagonist, is frequently portrayed as a "conniving and cruel" money lender, reinforcing stereotypes of Jewish people as money-hungry and greedy. Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said Thursday night in a post on X that the term is "among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes." "This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories — and it's deeply dangerous," she added. When asked by reporters after his speech about the antisemitic connotations of the term "Shylock," Trump said, "I've never heard it that way." "To me, Shylock is somebody that's a money lender and high rates" he added. Former President Joe Biden faced backlash in 2014 for using the same term while serving as vice president. He later apologized for "poor" word choice. The Anti-Defamation League, which criticized Biden's remarks at the time, said Trump's use of the term was "very troubling and irresponsible," adding that it "underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country." "The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous," the ADL said in a statement on X. "Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States." The remark by Trump came as he delivered a more than hourlong speech praising the passage of the "big, beautiful bill," before a cheerful crowd of several hundred supporters, some holding signs that read "Make Agriculture Great Again." Trump has previously faced accusations of antisemitism, including in 2024 after his former chief of staff John Kelly said Trump praised Hitler as doing "some good things, too." During his first term in office, Jewish groups criticized Trump after he put white supremacists chanting "Jews will not replace us" on the same level as counterprotesters at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. During his second term, Trump's administration has created a federal task force that plans to visit 10 university campuses in a bid to "eradicate antisemitic harassment." The State Department has also moved to revoke visas for foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, including Mahmoud Khalil who was detained for more than two months despite holding a green card, for leading protests at Columbia University. And, the Department of Homeland Security implemented a new vetting policy in April enabling U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to consider a foreign national's "antisemitic activity on social media" as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests, including those applying for lawful permanent resident status.
Miami Herald
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
ADL Slams Donald Trump for Saying ‘Shylocks'
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has slammed President Donald Trump's use of a term regarded as an antisemitic slur as "very troubling and irresponsible." Trump used the term "Shylocks" while referring to unscrupulous bankers during a speech touting the impact of his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress hours earlier, during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Thursday. "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people," he said. "They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite." In a statement to Newsweek early Friday, the ADL, an antisemitism and human rights watchdog, said the term "Shylock" "evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible. It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country," the statement said. Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email. Shylock refers to the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, who demands a pound of flesh from a character unable to repay a loan. It has long been considered a slur that plays on antisemitic tropes. Trump has positioned himself as a close ally of Israel, and his administration has focused on combating antisemitism since returning to office in January. This has included signing executive orders and cracking down on universities that it says have failed to address antisemitism on campus. But he has also faced accusations of antisemitism. On the campaign trial in 2024, he said that if he lost to Vice President Kamala Harris, "Jewish people would have a lot to do" with it. Trump told reporters after the Iowa rally that he had "never heard" that the term could be considered antisemitic. It sparked a backlash online, with at least one lawmaker calling on the ADL to condemn Trump. "If @ADL cannot condemn this, they should pack it up. They will have ZERO credibility," Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The ADL had previously criticized then Vice President Joe Biden for using the term "Shylocks" in 2014. Biden later apologized, saying it "was a poor choice of words." But the group has faced criticism more recently for its muted response to Trump. Abe Foxman, the former director of the ADL, was among those who called out the group for avoiding mentioning Trump by name in its response to a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden that was marred by racist and antisemitic comments. The ADL had posted on X, without naming Trump, that "political rallies should be about politics and policy, not offensive jokes that denigrate Jews, Palestinians, Puerto Ricans, and other marginalized groups." An ADL spokesperson later said the group had "clearly condemned the Trump Madison Square Garden rally and the antisemitic, racist, and bigoted comments that occurred." The ADL said in a statement to Newsweek: "Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States." Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, wrote on X: "Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories — and it's deeply dangerous." Representative Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat, wrote on X: "This is blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he's doing. Anyone who truly opposes antisemitism calls it out wherever it occurs — on both extremes — as I do. Where is @EliseStefanik and the GOP now that antisemitism is coming from Trump?" Trump told reporters on Thursday after being asked about his use of the term: "I've never heard it that way. To me, a Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates. I've never heard it that way. You view it differently than me." Trump and the White House have yet to issue any further comments about his use of the phrase. Related Articles Elon Musk's Plan for New Party Scores Polling WinNew Satellite Images Show Progress Building World's Biggest Roller CoasterDonald Trump to Host UFC Fight on White House Grounds: What to KnowRussia Delivers Loaded Independence Day Greeting to US 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
CNN
04-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump says he wasn't aware term ‘Shylock' viewed as antisemitic after using it at rally
President Donald Trump said early Friday that he wasn't aware that some people view the word 'Shylock' as antisemitic after using the term during a rally to decry amoral money lenders. 'I've never heard it that way. To me, Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates,' Trump told reporters after getting off Air Force One. 'I've never heard it that way, you view it differently than me. I've never heard that.' Trump was arriving back in Washington after an event in Iowa marking the kick-off to nationwide celebrations marking the country's 250th anniversary next year. In his speech, he used the word when touting aspects of the major domestic policy bill that had been approved by Congress a few hours earlier. 'Think of that: no death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowings from in some cases a fine banker. And in some cases, Shylocks and bad people,' he said during his event in Des Moines. 'They took away a lot of, a lot of family. They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite.' The name 'Shylock' derives from the name of the antagonist in William Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice.' Shylock, a Jew, was a ruthless moneylender in the play, and he's remembered for demanding a 'pound of flesh' from the merchant Antonio if he failed to repay a loan. Then-Vice President Joe Biden apologized for using the word in 2014 after the national director of the Anti-Defamation League at the time issued a mild rebuke of his use of the word, saying Biden 'should have been more careful.' Biden made the reference in a speech while recalling anecdotes from his son's experience serving in Iraq and meeting members of the military who were in need of legal help because of problems back at home. 'I mean these Shylocks who took advantage of, um, these women and men while overseas,' he said. Some Democrats were quick to criticize Trump's use of the word on Thursday. 'This is blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he's doing,' Rep. Daniel Goldman of New York wrote on social media. 'Anyone who truly opposes antisemitism calls it out wherever it occurs — on both extremes — as I do.' Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said on social media: 'Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories — and it's deeply dangerous.'
Newsweek
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
ADL Slams Donald Trump For Saying 'Shylocks'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has slammed President Donald Trump's use of a term regarded as an antisemitic slur as "very troubling and irresponsible." Trump used the term "Shylocks" while referring to unscrupulous bankers during a speech touting the impact of his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress hours earlier, during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people," he said. "They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite." In a statement to Newsweek early Friday, the ADL said: "The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible. It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States." This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
