Responding to mounting criticism over his relative silence concerning growing Antisemitism in America, President Trump reportedly addressed Monday’s slew of bomb threats at Jewish schools and community centers by claiming that they were probably false flags rather than the actions of hateful anti-Semites.
President Trump met with Attorney Generals from across the country on Tuesday afternoon to discuss important issues facing Americans.
According to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro who was present at the meeting, the President called the bomb threats and hate crimes against Jewish people in America “reprehensible,” but also suggested that they might be committed by Democrats trying to make Republicans look bad, rather than being genuine antisemitism.
“He just said, ‘Sometimes it’s the reverse, to make people — or to make others — look bad,’ and he used the word ‘reverse’ I would say two or three times in his comments. He did say at the top that it was reprehensible.”
“I really don’t know what he means, or why he said that. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.”
Me either.
Many are calling for the president to clarify his remarks.
This is likely what we can expect to hear from the president Tuesday evening as he addresses Congress. The best thing for the POTUS to do is strongly condemn all hate crimes being performed in America, taking responsibility for his role in the increased tensions and anger. But the chances of that actually taking place is slim.
Instead, Trump will likely treat the uptick in violence and threats the way he and the rest of the GOP have treated hundreds of successful protests nationwide – by blaming it on the Democrats rather than addressing the very real emotions behind the actions.
If Trump can convince his base that Jewish populations really aren’t in danger, and that he is in no way to blame if they are hurt, he has done his job.
After all, he made claims just like this in questions referring to Jewish hate crimes in weeks past, most notably during his now infamous press conference.
“Can I be honest with you?” Trump said. “This has to do with racism and horrible things that are put up. Some of it [is] written by our opponents. You do know that. Do you understand that?”
“Some of the signs you see are not put up by the people that love or like Donald Trump, they’re put up by the other side,”
One final note – if Trump truly does double down and blame either the Jewish community or the liberal left for the uptick in antisemitic crimes, he will taking a page directly from former KKK leader David Duke – and not for the first time.
