Trump Denies Legitimacy of Bomb Threats Against Jews

U.S. President Donald Trump has questioned the true motive behind the recent surge of anti-Semitic attacks in the United States, suggesting that they have been staged to frame his supporters, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. This shifting of blame is a common conspiracy theory on white supremacist websites, according to The Intercept.

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At a meeting Tuesday with attorney generals from around the country, Trump is reported to have said that recent anti-Semitic incidents, such as the bomb threats issued at more than 60 Jewish institutions since last month or the destruction of more than 100 tombstones at the Mount Carmel Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia on Saturday night, could have been done in "the reverse” to “make others look bad."

“Early today, I asked the president about the recent threats against minority communities, specifically the threats against Jewish institutions in Pennsylvania. The president first condemned the threats and intimidation then also suggested the 'reverse' may be true and that he planned to address the matter in his remarks tonight," Shapiro said in a statement, adding that he was perplexed by the comment.

With a campaign trail that was studded with anti-Semitism, including the time when Trump retweeted white nationalists or when he shared anti-Semitic imagery, his short time as president thus far has also seen insensitivity toward Jews.

Last month, in a statement issued on the anniversary of the Holocaust, the White House intentionally left out any explicit mention of Jews. Most recently, criticism against Trump has swelled for not speaking out against the bomb threats, which began the day after he was inaugurated.

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"To cast doubt on the authenticity of anti-Semitic hate crimes in America constitutes anti-Semitism in itself, and that's something none of us ever dreamed would disgrace our nation from the White House," Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, said as reported by The LA Times.

"We are astonished ... It is incumbent upon the White House to immediately clarify these remarks," Anti-Defamation League Chief Executive Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement.

The former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan tweeted this in response to rise in anti-Semitism.