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U.S. Rep. Susan Wild responds to President Trump accusing American Jews of 'great disloyalty' in supporting Democrats

August 21, 2019

Lehigh Valley Congresswoman Susan Wild, the state's only Jewish member of Congress, said Tuesday evening that she was "personally offended" by President Donald Trump's remark that Jewish Americans show "great disloyalty" in voting for Democrats.

Trump made the remark earlier Tuesday as controversy continued over the decision by Israeli leaders to bar an official visit to the country by the U.S.'s first two Muslim women in Congress. Those two lawmakers, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, have been critical of Israel's policies toward Palestinians.

"Where has the Democratic Party gone? Where have they gone where they're defending these two people over the State of Israel?" Trump asked. "I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty."

Trump did not specify who he believed American Jews were being disloyal to in supporting Democrats. But the remark was condemned Jewish groups as reflecting an anti-Semitic trope of a "dual loyalty."

Trump has previously suggested that American Jews are in lockstep with Israel, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "your prime minister" in speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition in April.

Wild, a Democrat representing Lehigh, Northampton and part of southern Monroe counties in the U.S. House, said during an interview on MSNBC's "Hardball" that Americans Jews "separate our faith and our politics for the most part.

"Our president has no business trying to divide people based upon their religion or politicizing people's religion, and trying to tell them that they have to vote in one way if they are of a certain religion," she said.