Trump uses antisemitic slur talking about financial institutions during holiday celebrations

US President Donald Trump used an antisemitic slur to describe exploitative bankers while promoting the recent passage of his large domestic policy bill. The event in the state of Iowa, initially presented as a nonpartisan celebration marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, quickly turned partisan as Trump expressed strong animosity toward Democrats who opposed his "big, beautiful bill."

While highlighting provisions of the legislation, Trump focused on a section aimed at protecting family farmers by reducing the estate tax they pay when passing ownership to their children.

"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," Caliber.Az cites multiple US media reports. This reference to "Shylocks" drew immediate criticism due to its antisemitic connotations.

When reporters questioned him about the antisemitic nature of the term, Trump denied any negative intent, saying he had “never heard it that way.” He explained, “To me, Shylock is somebody that’s a money lender and high rates.” However, as clarified in media reports, "Shylock" is a Jewish character from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, depicted as a conniving and cruel moneylender—a portrayal that has historically reinforced harmful Jewish stereotypes of greed and avarice.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) highlights that Shylock has long been a symbol perpetuating negative Jewish stereotypes, making Trump’s usage particularly problematic. Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, condemned Trump’s remark on social media, calling it “among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes.” She further emphasized that such remarks are not accidental, noting a pattern in Trump’s rhetoric that normalizes antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories, warning that this normalization is “deeply dangerous.”

By Nazrin Sadigova