Former President Donald Trump delivered speeches denouncing anti-Semitism at two events on September 19. He expressed his unwavering support for the state of Israel, assuring the audience that they would emerge victorious in their fight. The first speech took place at the Fighting Anti-Semitism in America event, followed by another speech at the Israeli-American Council (IAC) summit.
These speeches come shortly after a second assassination attempt on Trump, who is also the GOP presidential nominee. Prior to Trump’s address at the first event, Miriam Adelson, a Jewish super donor and owner of Las Vegas Sands casino, urged attendees to vote for him in November.
During his speech, Trump acknowledged several GOP lawmakers present in the room who have been actively combating anti-Semitism. He highlighted Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who sponsored an anti-Semitism bill that passed in May with overwhelming support.
Trump also emphasized his pro-Israel initiatives from his first term as president. These included recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, acknowledging Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.
Trump’s remarks on anti-Semitism came amidst ongoing tensions fueled by the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The conflict began with an attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Trump referred to this attack as an “atrocity” and a “wake-up call.” The war has resulted in significant casualties and a refugee crisis while exposing political divisions over U.S.-Israel relations.
College campuses have witnessed numerous anti-Israel demonstrations during this period. Jewish students at UCLA were even prevented from attending classes by protestors earlier this year. In response to these incidents, some universities faced demands for boycotts and sanctions against Israel.
In May, President Joe Biden denounced rising antisemitism across the nation and issued guidelines for university faculty to combat it effectively. Meanwhile, addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition virtually earlier this month, Trump pledged that colleges failing to address anti-Semitism would lose federal funding if he were reelected.
Although Democrats traditionally receive strong support from Jewish voters—Trump secured only 30 percent of their votes in 2020—a recent Sienna College poll conducted between July 28 and August 1 indicated that 50 percent of Jewish voters preferred Trump over Harris.
