U.S. President Donald Trump said at the White House Chanukah party on Tuesday that Jewish influence in Washington is on the wane and that lobby groups have failed to stop the rise of anti-Israel members of Congress.
Trump cited the influence of his father Fred Trump for inspiring his own philosemitism.
“I’m not Jewish, but my father was very friendly with many, many Jewish people,” Trump said. “He was honored by the Federation. I would go with him to the Federation of Jewish philanthropies, and many other things, and we grew up respecting and loving Jewish people.”
“My father would tell me, the most powerful lobby that there is in this country is the Jewish lobby. It’s the Israeli lobby,” Trump said. “It’s not that way anymore.”
The president pointed to the so-called “Squad” of anti-Israel progressive lawmakers in the House and rising opposition to Israel in Congress.
“There’s a lot of people in Congress that don’t like Israel,” Trump said. “They hate Israel, and if you would have told me 15 years ago that that was possible, I would have said there’s no way.”
Trump opened his remarks with a condemnation of the murder of 15 people at a Chanukah celebration in Sydney.
“Let me take a moment to send the love and prayers of our entire nation to the people of Australia, and especially all those affected by the horrific and antisemitic terrorist attack,” Trump said. “That’s exactly what it is: antisemitic.”
“All nations will stand together against the evil forces of radical Islamic terrorism,” he added.
Much of Trump’s 40-minute speech in the White House East Room was devoted to touting his administration’s accomplishments in support of Israel and its work combating antisemitism, including the legal efforts of U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon pursuing civil rights claims against universities.
“She sues the ass off of anybody that is antisemitic,” Trump said. “Harvard wished they never heard her name, right?”
Surrounded by Christmas trees and portraits of former presidents and first ladies, guests at the Chanukah gala included administration officials, Jewish community leaders and some of Trump’s most prominent Jewish supporters in the media and business worlds.
Trump said that Miriam Adelson, whom he called up to the stage as one of the largest financial donors to his re-election campaign, had joked with him about donating another $250 million if he would run for a third term. That drew some “four more years” chants from the crowd.
Rabbi Levi Shemtov, executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch, lit the White House menorah with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and two Holocaust survivors, Jerry Wartski and Michael Bornstein.
Shemtov addressed Trump. “You know that I’m Jewish. You know that I’m American, but you may not know that a very large part of my family lives in Australia and that includes some of those who had escaped the attack and some of them didn’t,” the rabbi said.
“It is especially in this time when the Jewish people have so much of a burden that we need this light. We need this strength,” he said. “Not only from each other, but from you, Mr. President, who constantly reminds the world that even if they all turn against us, God forbid, you never will.”
