President Donald Trump drew fierce criticism and was accused of antisemitism for a comment he made during a speech in which he celebrated the passing in Congress of his so-called “big, beautiful bill” on Thursday.
Trump was boasting to supporters in Des Moines, Iowa, at an event starting the year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding about how they would now benefit from various parts of his signature, controversial taxation and spending bill when he said:
“No death tax. No estate tax. No going through the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker, and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people.”
The term “Shylock,” a reference to the name of the Jewish moneylender in William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” is now considered to be an antisemitic slur, playing as it does on antisemitic stereotypes.
Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) led the criticism of the president on social media.
The congressman accused Trump of “blatant and vile antisemitism” and claimed the president “knows exactly what he’s doing.”
“Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes,” added Amy Spitalnick, of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
“This is not an accident” by Trump and is “deeply dangerous,” she added.
Trump was reportedly confronted over his use of the term when flying back to the White House on board Air Force One.
“I’ve never heard it that way,” the president reportedly said. “The meaning of Shylock is somebody that’s a money lender at high rates. You view it differently. I’ve never heard that.”