NATIONAL NEWS

Donald Trump says Kamala Harris, who’s married to a Jewish man, ‘doesn’t like Jewish people’

Jul 30, 2024, 10:56 AM

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff kiss during an event in the Ea...

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff kiss during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, to light the menorah to celebrate Hanukkah, Dec. 1, 2021. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump in an interview on Tuesday claimed Vice President Kamala Harris “doesn’t like Jewish people,” despite being married to a Jewish man and Trump seemed to agree with a radio host who called second gentleman Doug Emhoff “a crappy Jew.” (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump in an interview on Tuesday claimed Vice President Kamala Harris, who is married to a Jewish man, “doesn’t like Jewish people” and seemed to agree with a radio host who called second gentleman Doug Emhoff “a crappy Jew.”

Trump, in an interview on WABC radio on Tuesday, claimed Harris looked uncomfortable while meeting last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“You can see the disdain,” he said, adding, “No. 1, she doesn’t like Israel. No. 2, she doesn’t like Jewish people. You know it, I know it and everybody knows it and nobody wants to say it.”

Trump has tried to capitalize on divisions in the Democratic Party over the Israel-Hamas war and sought to paint his political opponents as antisemitic while overlooking some of his own past comments and behavior, such as dining at his Florida club with a Holocaust-denying white nationalist. With Harris replacing President Joe Biden as the likely Democratic presidential nominee, Trump has escalated his attacks on her.

“America is better than the fear, hate, and despicable insults of Donald Trump,” said James Singer, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign. “Vice President Harris believes Americans want a president who unites our country instead of divides it, uses the power of the presidency to help families instead of hurt them, and has a vision for our future, instead of taking us backwards.”

In the interview, the Republican former president repeated comments he has made before lashing out at Jewish voters who back Democrats, saying anyone who does “should have their head examined” and “if you’re Jewish, if you vote for a Democrat, you’re a fool, an absolute fool. They have let Jewish people down since Obama at a level that nobody could believe.”

As Trump continued on, he again said of Harris, “She dislikes Jewish people and Israel even more than Biden did.”

The interview host, Sid Rosenberg, then mentioned Harris’ husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and said, “He’s Jewish like Bernie Sanders is Jewish. Are you kidding me?”

“Yeah,” Trump said.

“He’s a crappy Jew,” Rosenberg said, continuing.

“Yeah,” Trump said again.

Rosenberg went on, saying of Emhoff, “He’s a horrible Jew.”

They then moved on to criticizing Harris on other issues.

Trump made a similar claim about Harris disliking Jewish people on Friday while speaking to a Christian group at a Turning Point USA gathering in Florida. He has also ignited blowback in the past for making similar remarks about Jewish people, like when he said in March that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and hate “their religion.”

Emhoff, the first Jewish person to serve as the spouse of a nationally elected U.S. leader, has been one of the most visible members of the Biden administration speaking about combating antisemitism. He hung mezuzahs on the doorposts of the vice president’s residence and led Passover celebrations at the White House.

Emhoff’s office declined to comment Tuesday.

Trump’s campaign has also criticized Emhoff’s adult daughter Ella for posting on her social media account a fundraising link for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees. Israel has sought to ban the group and suggests it supports terrorists. European leaders have said that is a baseless accusation.

___

AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

National News

FILE - Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry speaks during the start of the special session in the House Chamb...

Associated Press

Sweeping tax overhaul in Louisiana hits snag on sales tax expansion

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana lawmakers on Thursday postponed a vote on a key bill in Gov. Jeff Landry’s sweeping and complex tax reform package. Most of Landry’s proposed bills, granting approximately $2 billion in income and corporate tax cuts, have moved smoothly through the House of Representatives during the state’s third special legislative […]

19 minutes ago

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum arrives before President-elect Donald Trump at an America First Polic...

Associated Press

What to know North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, tapped by Trump to run the Interior Department

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to head the Interior Department. Some things to know about the two-term Republican governor of a sparsely populated state: Burgum’s background is in business Burgum, 67, grew up in tiny Arthur, North Dakota, population 328. He earned a bachelor’s degree […]

44 minutes ago

President-elect Donald Trump listens during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lag...

Associated Press

Trump meets with Argentina’s president, the first foreign leader he’s met with since election

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla (AP) — Donald Trump met Thursday at his Mar-a-Lago club with Argentine President Javier Milei, the first foreign leader to meet with the president-elect since his victory in last week’s election. The meeting was confirmed by a person who insisted on anonymity to discuss a meeting that hadn’t yet been announced […]

1 hour ago

FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Dona...

Associated Press

What to know about Doug Collins, Trump’s pick to oversee veterans affairs

ATLANTA (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would appoint Doug Collins to lead the Veterans Affairs Department in his new administration. Here are five things to know about the former Republican congressman from Georgia who would lead the agency tasked with providing health care to former members of the U.S. armed forces: […]

2 hours ago

FILE - Nima Momeni, the man charged in the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee, makes his wa...

Associated Press

Tech consultant spars with the prosecutor over details of the death of Cash App founder Bob Lee

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A tech consultant charged with murder in Cash App founder Bob Lee’s stabbing death sparred with the lead prosecutor at trial Thursday, interrupting questions asked of him with his own questions as he was grilled on his testimony. Nima Momeni, 40, had to be told several times by the judge to […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor to step down at end of academic year

CHICAGO (AP) — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones plans to resign at the end of the academic year. University officials made the announcement Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reported. University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen said Jones will stay on until June 30 and the university hopes to hire his replacement by July […]

2 hours ago

Donald Trump says Kamala Harris, who’s married to a Jewish man, ‘doesn’t like Jewish people’