US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he wasn’t aware that the word “Shylock” could be viewed as antisemitic after using it during a rally to describe unscrupulous money lenders, according to a report published by CNN on Saturday.
Trump Responds to Criticism
Speaking to reporters after arriving in Washington, Trump reportedly said, “I’ve never heard it that way. To me, Shylock is somebody that’s a money lender at high rates. I’ve never heard it that way, you view it differently than me. I’ve never heard that.”
He made the remarks at a celebration in Des Moines, Iowa, for new tax policy reforms.
Trump told the crowd at the rally, “Think of that: no death tax, no estate tax, no having to go to the banks and borrowings from in some cases a good banker.” In other cases, he added, there are “Shylocks and bad people,” as reported by CNN.
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‘Shylock’: Historical Context and Backlash
The term “Shylock” is derived from a character in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice — a Jewish banker who asks for a “pound of flesh” in payment.
This character has been employed for centuries as an emblem perpetuating antisemitic imagery about Jews and greed.
According to the report, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also criticised Trump’s use of the word as “extremely offensive and dangerous.”
The ADL’s release on X stated, “Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States.”
When Joe Biden Had to Apologise For Using ‘Shylock’ in a Speech
In 2014, then US president Joe Biden had to apologise when he too used the term “Shylock” in a speech, with the ADL telling him “he should have been more careful.
A number of Democrats have criticised Trump, with Rep. Daniel Goldman posting on X, “This is stark and disgusting antisemitism, and Trump knows perfectly well what he’s doing.”
Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, explained, “Shylock is one of the most archetypal antisemitic stereotypes. it’s exceedingly dangerous,” per CNN report.
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