President Trump Denounces ‘Horrible’ Anti-Semitic Threats, Says His Travel Ban Is ‘About Love’
During a visit to the National Museum of African American History on Tuesday, President Donald Trump addressed the recent rise in threats against Jewish community in America, calling anti-Semitism “horrible.”
“This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms,” Trump said. “The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.”
Trump: "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful" https://t.co/MMdj6co2cJ
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 21, 2017
He also told NBC News in an interview after touring the museum with Omarosa Manigault, Ben Carson and daughter Ivanka Trump, “Anti-Semitism is horrible. And it’s gonna stop and it has to stop.”
“Whether it’s anti-Semitism or racism or any — anything you wanna think about having to do with the divide,” he added. “Anti-Semitism is, likewise, it’s just terrible.”
According to Politico, when Trump was asked if he would outrightly denounce anti-Semitism, the president reportedly said, “Oh, of course.”
On Monday, the FBI said they were investigating a series of bomb threats against 10 Jewish community centers, NBC reported. While no one was injured, the Jewish Community Center Association of North America said threats were issued against centers in Alabama, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, New York, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas.
RELATED VIDEO: Watch: Natasha Stoynoff Breaks Silence, Accuses Donald Trump of Sexual Attack
Also over the weekend, over 150 headstones were toppled at a Jewish cemetery in Missouri, local news outlet KSDK reported.
Though the president didn’t address the threats until Tuesday, his daughter Ivanka – who is Jewish –wrote on Twitter, Monday, “America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC.”
America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017
On Tuesday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also addressed the situation, writing on social media, “JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.”
JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 21, 2017
In addition to the attacks, Trump addressed his controversial travel ban on Tuesday, which he insisted is “about love.”
“We have to have a safe country,” he said, according to NBC. “We have to let people come in that are going to love the country. This is about love. This building is about love. And we have to have people come in that are going to love the country, not people that are gonna harm the country.”
