Trump Says He Didn’t Know ‘Shylock’ Was Antisemitic Term After Criticism

Trump Says He Didn’t Know ‘Shylock’ Was Antisemitic Term After CriticismByAlison Durkee, Forbes Staff

Alison is a senior news reporter covering US and legal news

AuthorJul 04, 2025, 12:10pm EDTToplinePresident Donald Trump said Friday he didn’t know the term “Shylock” was antisemitic, after he was slammed by groups including the Anti-Defamation League for using the word during a campaign rally Thursday night

President Donald Trump arrives at a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 3 in Des Moines,

All rights reservedKey FactsTrump was asked Friday his use of the term “Shylock” during his campaign rally in Iowa, when the president said his domestic policy bill, “Think of that: no death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowings from in some cases a fine banker

And in some cases, Shylocks and bad people. ”The term “Shylock” has been widely recognized as antisemitic, with the Anti-Defamation League saying Friday it “evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. ”Trump, asked his use of the term, claimed to reporters Friday he was not aware of its antisemitic connotations. “I’ve never heard it that way

To me, Shylock is somebody that’s a money lender at high rates,” Trump told reporters after getting off Air Force One, claiming the reporters “view [the term] differently than me. ”The president’s s come after he had come under criticism for his use of the term, with the Anti-Defamation League saying it was “very troubling and irresponsible” and Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, saying Trump using “Shylock” was “deeply dangerous” and “not an accident,” claiming the president has previously “normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories. ”Chief CriticThe Anti-Defamation League said Trump’s use of “Shylock” “underscores how lies and conspiracies Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country,” according to a statement Friday morning on X. “Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States. ”Why Is The Term “shylock” Antisemitic

The term “Shylock” is originally from William Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice,” which features a character named Shylock, a Jewish money lender

Shylock gives the main character Antonio a loan, demanding a “pound of flesh” if he cannot repay his debt, and ultimately seeks that punishment when Antonio does not pay

The play has long been a source of debate over whether it’s antisemitic, and Smithsonian Magazine notes it was frequently performed in Nazi Germany

Surprising FactFormer President Joe Biden also sparked controversy for using “Shylock” in 2014, when speaking members of the military his son knew in Iraq who needed legal help back. “People would come to him and talk what was happening to them at in terms of foreclosures, in terms of bad loans that were being — I mean, these Shylocks who took advantage of these women and men while overseas,” Biden said in a speech

The then-vice president later apologized for his use of the term after it similarly garnered criticism, with the Anti-Defamation League saying Biden “should have been more careful. ”Key BackgroundTrump’s use of the term “Shylock” comes as the president and his allies have faced accusations of antisemitism in the past

Trump has had various connections to a number of people who identify as white supremacists, and the president came under fire after his former chief of staff, John Kelly, wrote in his memoir that Trump once told him Adolf Hitler “did a lot of good things. ” Former ally Elon Musk was also embroiled in controversy after raising his hand in a way that mimicked a Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration

At the same time, the Trump administration has taken harsh action against U

Universities and student activists over perceived antisemitism, as the Trump administration has maintained the U. ’ support for Israel in its war against Hamas

The White House has taken such steps as attempting to revoke visas for -Palestinian activists and levying punishments on schools Harvard and Columbia Universities for perceived failures to combat antisemitism

Further ReadingDenouncing Antisemitism, Trump Also Fans Its Flames (New York Times)Got a tip

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