‘Political violence has no place in our country,’ U.S. Jewish leaders called, urging for unity. ‘We are all Americans. Whatever our politics’
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s most frequent and vocal critics in the U.S. Jewish community universally condemned his attempted assassination, roundly insisting that political violence has no place in America while wishing for his swift recovery.
While the condemnations are anticipated as the only appropriate response to such a noteworthy event, senior U.S. Jewish officials undoubtedly hope that their public statements can help lower tensions in the U.S. political atmosphere that has reached low points in modern American history.
The Jewish Democratic Council of America, which has led the charge since Trump’s political ascendance to rally the American-Jewish community against his policies, said it was “alarmed by the shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania this afternoon,” and wished Trump a “speedy” recovery. “Political violence has no place in our country.”
J Street, which has been the most vocal opponent to Trump’s Middle East policies of any organization, said it was “horrified” by the attack, noting “while details continue to emerge, we must be absolutely clear that there is no place for political violence in our country.”
American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch, a former Democratic lawmaker whose Florida district in 2018 included the site of the Parkland high school mass shooting, said “we are all shocked and traumatized by what happened. We must come together to condemn political violence. We are all Americans. Whatever our politics.”
Jewish Council for Public Affairs CEO Amy Spitalnick, who gained national prominence when she successfully sued white supremacist neo-Nazis who marched in Charlottesville, called political violence “a direct affront to our values and our democracy,” noting that “we are glad the former president is safe, and our hearts break for all those impacted.
“This is a moment in which mis- and disinformation will be running rampant, amplified by bad actors intent on further dividing us. We encourage everyone to check sources and refrain from spreading bad information,” she added.
Democratic Majority for Israel CEO Mark Mellman, who has been among U.S. President Joe Biden’s premier advocates among the pro-Israel establishment, said his organization “condemns this shooting in the strongest possible terms.”
The condemnations come as Republicans prepare to gather in Milwaukee for the 2024 Republican National Convention, where Jewish Republicans will play a key role in promoting Trump and his policies. It remains to be seen whether the gathering will be used as an opportunity to lower the flames or if tensions will only increase by week’s end.