Donald Trump said Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris, who is married to a Jewish man, “doesn’t like Jews.”
In an interview with WABC radio station on Tuesday, the former US president also seemed to agree with the host who called M’s husbandme Harris, Doug Emhoff, of “Fake Jew” (” crappy jew ” in English).
Mr Trump claimed that Mme Harris appeared uncomfortable during her meeting last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.
The Republican candidate for the November presidential election is trying to take advantage of divisions within the Democratic Party over the sensitive issue of the war between Israel and Hamas.
He seeks to portray his political opponents as anti-Semites, while ignoring some of his own past comments and behavior, such as dining at his Florida club with a Holocaust denier and white supremacist.
Since Mme Harris replaces President Joe Biden in the presidential race, and Mr Trump has stepped up his attacks on her.
“You can see his contempt,” he said Tuesday of the meeting between Mme Harris and Mr. Netanyahu. “First of all, she doesn’t like Israel. Second of all, she doesn’t like Jews. You know it, I know it and everybody knows it and nobody wants to say it,” he told WABC radio.
“America is better than Donald Trump’s fear, hatred and despicable insults,” said James Singer, a spokesman for the Harris campaign. “Vice President Harris believes Americans want a president who unites our country instead of dividing it, who uses the power of the presidency to help families instead of hurting them, and who has a vision for our future instead of holding us back.”
The former Republican president repeated in an interview recent comments about Jewish voters who support Democrats “having their heads examined.”
“If you’re Jewish and you vote for a Democrat, you’re sick, you’re an absolute moron. They’ve failed the Jewish people since Obama on a level that no one could imagine.”
Mr. Trump again said about Mme Harris: “She hates the Jewish people and Israel, even more than Biden.”
M’s husbandme Harris
Host Sid Rosenberg then mentioned M’s husband.me Harris, Doug Emhoff, saying: “He’s Jewish like Bernie Sanders is Jewish. Are you kidding me?”
“Yeah,” Mr. Trump said.
“He’s a fake Jew,” Mr. Rosenberg continued.
“Yeah,” the Republican candidate repeated.
Mr. Rosenberg went on to say of Mr. Emhoff: “He’s a horrible Jew.”
The two men then criticized M.me Harris on other matters.
Mr Trump had made a similar claim last Friday that Mme Harris disliked Jews while speaking to a Christian group in Florida. He has also sparked backlash in the past by making similar remarks about Jewish people, such as when he said in March that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and hate “their religion.”
Doug Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a nationally elected leader, has been one of the most visible members of the Biden administration speaking out about combating anti-Semitism. He has hung mezuzahs on the doorframes of the vice president’s residence and led Passover celebrations at the White House.
Mr. Emhoff’s office declined to comment Tuesday on Trump’s remarks.
Mr Trump’s campaign also criticised Mr Emhoff’s adult daughter Ella for posting a fundraising link for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East on her social media account.
Israel has tried to ban the UN body, suggesting it supports terrorists. European leaders have said the accusation is baseless.