Being Jewish in Trump's America

 I am an American.

I am Jewish.

 

In this 2^nd Trump Presidency, I don’t understand how some people of my faith support Donald  Trump.  They’ll say that he is great for Israel, but is he? Or is he an opportunist, who supports a fellow indicted leader in Benjamin Netanyahu?

 

October 7, 2023, was a dark day in Jewish and Israeli History. The brutal murder and kidnapping of innocent Israeli citizens were premeditated, evil, and disgusting. Hamas, backed by Iran (who are allies with Russia) is responsible for the events of that day. The remaining hostages need to be released and returned to their loved ones. 

 

However, we cannot overlook certain facts. It is known that Netanyahu was paying off Hamas, through Qatar, as he focused on increasing Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The Netanyahu Government was warned by both Egypt and the United States that Hamas was planning something big. When the attack happened on a border that is heavily surveilled, the government’s response was poorly organized. 

 

The war that ensued has killed thousands of innocent Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. Hamas cowardly hides amongst the innocent Palestinians. Let’s not fool ourselves, if Hamas really cared about the civilian population, they would have used the money that they received from Iran over the years to build a better life for the civilian population but instead they bought weapons with the sole purpose of wiping the Jews from the face of the earth. The intense bombing of Gaza is meant to bring Hamas to their knees but how effective is it?

 

A portion of the hostages have been released after a long-negotiated cease fire that took months to achieve. I find it difficult to believe that there isn’t a better way to free more of the hostages. Maybe the IDF and Mossad don’t have a better option, but this is the same agency that devised a plan to simultaneously blow up the cell phones of Hamas leaders. 

 

Trump’s policy is to issue bold statements to Hamas and with the goal of converting Gaza into an Israeli Riviera lined with Trump Hotels and high-rise Trump condos. Trump does this under the guise of his desire for peace. His plan will make thousands and thousands of innocent Palestinians displaced and without a place to go as all the surrounding Arab nations have said that they do not want Palestinians in their country. This is an obvious land grab by both Trump and Netanyahu.

 

There are people who say if anyone criticizes the Netanyahu Government, especially if you are Jewish, then you are not a supporter of Israel and shame should be bought upon you. This thinking is juvenile and is trying to divert from having a real conversation about Netanyahu’s delayed reaction to the Hamas attack.  Criticizing the Netanyahu government is supporting Israel and wanting Israel to thrive as a democracy. 

 

Back at home, Trump has taken a fascist sledgehammer to the federal government and the American people. He supports white nationalists and Nazi personalities and policies. Trump has pardoned the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers from their involvement in the January 6 insurrection that occurred at his direction. These paramilitary groups wave Nazi Flags at their rallies and wear shirts that say the 6 million Jews that were killed in the Holocaust were not enough. Trump welcomes the support of Nazis Nick Fuentes and Kanye West, who infamously sold t-shirts on his website with a swastika on the front.  It is now fashionable to give a Nazi salute at far-right rallies thanks to Trump’s white nationalist top donor Elon Musk. We can’t forget the events that occurred at Charlottesville during Trump’s first term. 

 

Trump has now turned his back on our ally in Ukraine, who is in a bitter fight for their Sovereignty after Russia’s illegal invasion back in 2022.  Putin would like to recreate the Soviet Union and has claimed that he is “de-Nazifying” Ukraine. Ukraine is led by a proud and brave leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is also Jewish.  Trump refuses to admit that Putin is the aggressor as he kills innocent Ukrainians daily. Trump & MAGA Congressmen even have taken to parroting Putin talking points. In the last weeks, Trump has tried to embarrass President Zelensky in the oval office, extort Zelensky, and cut off Congressionally approved military aid and intelligence sharing until recently when President Zelensky was basically forced to kiss Trump’s ring while his countrymen are dying on the battlefield.

 

Moreover, Trump has gone on to attack the Black, LBGTQ+, Asian, and Muslim communities. Anyone that marches or protests his policies is labeled a “George Soros” funded puppet. George Soros is a wealthy Jewish American investor and philanthropist, so when Trump and MAGA say something is funded by him, it is code for “Jewish funded or financed”. Just like “DEI” is Trump and MAGA code for Black.  Trump has given Musk the power to destroy the federal government and in his “spare time”, Musk has taken to supporting far right leaning political parties in various European countries. 

 

 President Trump is not a supporter of the Jewish people here in America, Israel, or any other part of the world. President Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu is a transactional one. Simply stated, it is a land grab. Trump backs Netanyahu staying in power in Israel, so Netanyahu can keep postponing his criminal trial, while taking over the West Bank. In return, Trump gets permission to build on the Gaza Strip. Trump’s motives have nothing to do with supporting Jews, it has to do with location, opportunity, and profit. 

 

President Trump’s attempted deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian Green Card holder who organized the Pro Palestinian rallies and sit ins at Columbia University, was not done to show support for Israel and Jews. It was done for optics and to give the impression that Trump supports Israel. Mr. Khalil is anti-Semitic, and I don’t agree with anything he stands for. However, he is entitled to due process under the law just like any other permanent resident and citizen of the United States. The only thing Trump’s attempted deportation of Khalil without giving him is due process shows is that it can be us next, just like in 1930s Germany.  

 

If Donald Trump had an ounce of humanity and compassion, he would not accept and even denounce the far-right groups who follow him and await his signal to spread their hate while waving their Nazi flags. If Donald Trump supports Jews, he would not have accepted Elon Musk’s money and he would denounce Musk’s support of far-right European political parties and his Nazi Salute.

 

 If Trump supported Jews, he would stop insinuating that any group or people who protest his policies are financed by Jews. The oldest trick in the book perfected by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. 

 

If Donald Trump supported Jews, he would fully support (and stop coercing) in every way possible Ukrainian President Zelensky after Russia illegally invaded their country. 

 

If Donald Trump supported Jews, he would not take down references to the Holocaust on the Pentagon website claiming it is “DEI”.

 

Finally, if Donald Trump supported Jews, he would have never said after Charlottesville that there were “bad people” on both sides. The bad people were clearly the people marching with Nazi Flags and torches chanting, “Jews will not replace us!”

 

Donald Trump does not care about Israel, Jewish American citizens, nor Jews around the world. Donald Trump cares about himself and how he can make a profit off every situation or event. Any Jewish person who continues to support Donald Trump is not thinking about the future of Judaism in Israel, American or the world and that’s a shame.