The White House issued a strongly worded statement Thursday after President Donald Trump launched a bizarre late-night attack in which he called Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro a “very overrated Jewish governor.”
“It is anti-Semitic, dangerous and harmful to attack a fellow American by mentioning their Jewish faith in a derogatory manner or by perpetuating the centuries-old smear of ‘dual loyalty,'” White House Principal Deputy Communications Director Herbie Ziskend said in a statement sent to reporters.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris believe we must come together as Americans to condemn and combat anti-Semitism, as well as hatred and intolerance of all kinds,” he said, in a comment that did not specifically mention Trump or explicitly identify the post that prompted it.
This came after Trump attacked Shapiro for his speech at the Democratic National Convention, singling him out for his religion and criticizing Harris, saying she “hates” Israel.
‘The overrated Jewish Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, gave a very bad and poorly delivered speech talking about freedom and fighting for presidential candidate Kamala Harris, but he hates Israel and will do nothing but make the path to survival as difficult as possible for her, in the hope that she will fail. Judge only by his actions!’
The White House has criticized former President Donald Trump for calling Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro a “very overrated Jewish governor.”
‘Yet Shapiro, for strictly political reasons, refused to acknowledge that I am the best friend Israel and the Jewish people have ever had. I have done more for Israel than any president, and frankly, I have done more for Israel than anyone else, and I’m not even close to that. Shapiro has done nothing for Israel and never will. Comrade Kamala Harris, the radical left-wing Marxist who stole the nomination from Crooked Joe, will do even less. Israel is in BIG trouble!’
Trump’s statement sought to stoke debate on a complex and controversial issue after Shapiro failed to delve into Middle East politics during his convention speech. Instead, he attempted to link Harris’s vague “freedom” agenda to the nation’s principles and patriotism.
“E Pluribus Unum” – you recognize this phrase on American coins and on the nation’s emblem: out of many, one; it’s not just a motto of the past, it’s our direction for the future. You see, all of you give me hope and all of you have the power,” Shapiro said.
The charismatic governor, who was passed over in favor of Tim Walz after being on Harris’s vice presidential shortlist, said in Philadelphia when Harris announced Tim Walz as her running mate: “I’m proud of my faith.”
Trump posted the statement on Truth Social at 12:09 a.m. as Democrats wrapped up the third day of a convention that included testimonies from Oprah Winfrey and Bill Clinton. It has more than 4,000 posts and 15,000 likes.
The White House slammed the post, calling it anti-Semitic and linking it to the “century-old smear of ‘dual loyalty.'”
Trump called Shapiro an “overrated Jewish governor” in a late-night post that the White House labeled anti-Semitic
Asked why Trump singled out Shapiro for her faith, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said, “Kamala Harris talks out of both sides of her mouth to appease Hamas supporters while Democrats have emboldened anti-Semitic protests on college campuses. In contrast, President Trump has stood firm with Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, achieving many historic accomplishments such as the Abraham Accords, moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, taking out Qasem Soleimani, ending the horrific Iran nuclear deal, as well as combating anti-Semitism in the United States and abroad.”
Trump’s comments came at a convention that has seen clashes and protests on the fringes, but without the major disruptions that organizers had feared. Protesters tried to unfurl a banner on the convention’s first day, and on Tuesday pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police. The National Lawyers Guild said 72 people were arrested.
The convention featured emotional testimony from the parents of 23-year-old American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in Israel.
And “uncommitted” delegates complained on Wednesday that their request for a speaker for the Palestinian convention had been denied.