President Donald Trump has addressed allegations that he employed an antisemitic term while promoting his latest legislative bill.
On Friday, Trump signed his ‘big, beautiful bill’, which had been passed in Congress the previous day (July 3) with a narrow vote of 218-214.
This nearly 1,000-page budget overhaul is projected to increase the national debt by approximately $3.4 trillion over the next decade. Currently, the national debt stands at $36.2 trillion.
The bill includes various measures, such as the tax breaks Trump promised during his 2024 presidential campaign, as well as reductions in health and food safety programs.
During a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, prior to the bill’s approval, Trump faced criticism for allegedly using an antisemitic term.
Referring to the bill, he stated: “No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker, and in some cases, shylocks and bad people.”
He continued, “They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite.”
Jewish leaders quickly condemned Trump’s use of the term ‘shylock’ following his speech.
Shylock is a character from Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, known as a Jewish moneylender and villain.
Shakespeare’s Globe website describes Shylock as a character who has long divided critics and audiences.
He is characterized as a ‘money hungry usurer who tries to claim a pound of another human’s flesh in payment of a debt’.
Trump has addressed the controversy, asserting that he was unaware of the negative connotations associated with the term.
“I’ve never heard it that way. To me, Shylock is somebody that’s a money lender at high rates,” he told reporters, as reported by CNN, while traveling back to Washington, D.C., on Air Force One. Trump’s interpretation aligns with definitions found in various online dictionaries.
He further stated, “I’ve never heard it that way, you view it differently than me. I’ve never heard that.”
Despite Trump’s defense, numerous Jewish organizations and leaders have denounced his choice of words.
Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, asserted that the comment was intentional, stating: “Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories — and it’s deeply dangerous.”
The Anti-Defamation League also responded on X: “The term ‘Shylock’ evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trump’s use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible. It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States.”
In addition, New York Representative Daniel Goldman described Trump’s language as ‘blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he’s doing’.
UNILAD has sought comment from the White House regarding the incident.