Associated Press
President Donald Trump says he didn’t know the term “shylock” is considered antisemitic when he used it in a speech to describe unscrupulous moneylenders.
Trump told reporters early Friday after returning from an event in Iowa that he had “never heard it that way” and “never heard that” the term was considered an offensive stereotype about Jews.
Shylock refers to the villainous Jewish moneylender in William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” who demands a pound of flesh from a debtor.
The Anti-Defamation League, which works to combat antisemitism, said in a statement that the term “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.”
On Thursday night in his speech in Iowa, Trump used the term while talking about his signature legislation that was passed by Congress earlier in the day.
“No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing some from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases shylocks and bad people,” he said.
When a reporter later asked about the word’s antisemitic association and his intent, Trump said; “No, I’ve never heard it that way. To me, a 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.”
The Anti-Defamation League said Trump’s use of the word “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.”
12 comments
Joe Smith
July 5, 2025 at 2:16 pm
The AP is really digging deep now. The President that moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem and just knocked out the Iranian nuclear program is now anti-semitic? Keep digging AP.
MaggieC
July 5, 2025 at 4:16 pm
#47 did not come close to “knocking out” Iran’s nuclear program, a fact that even Faux Noise had to admit. Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem had nothing to do with anything but catering to crazy evangelical beliefs about Armageddon.
Mike Smith
July 5, 2025 at 4:26 pm
You are misinformed. How many Presidents told Israel they were going to move the Embassy? Who did it? The Iran nuclear program is in shambles. The B2’s and cruise missiles did their job.
TC
July 5, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Antisemitism is bigotry against Jewish people, not to be confused with support for or opposition to the government of Israel or a U.S. president who moved an embassy to cater to the wants and votes of white christian nationalists right here in the USA. For Trump, being a supporter of the current Netanyahu regime in Israel has nothing to do with the Jewish faith and everything to do with supporting a man who, like Donald, will go back on trial for his alleged crimes as soon as he is out of office, but who, in the meantime, is taking every measure to stay in office.
ScienceBLVR
July 5, 2025 at 3:41 pm
A New York Property Developer doesn’t know the meaning of term Shylock? Really? A so call brilliant rough and tumble businessman New Yorker? Yeah, sure, and got a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you…
Larry Gillis, Director-at-Large, Libertarian Party of Florida
July 5, 2025 at 4:18 pm
GIVE IT A BREAK, AP AND ADL
I get that you hate his guts. I also get that “Victimhood” is a standard histrionic posture to be used, whenever it will advance the Cause, whatever the cause or occasion. However, “Shylock” doesn’t simply refer to Jews, not anymore, and Jews are not victimized by its use. In other words, “Shylock” is an equal-opportunity insult, available for use against all of us.
Trump deserves a verbal flogging, every time he opens his mendacious mouth, but this is not the way to do it.
You discredit yourselves and the rest of us by stunts like this. This dog won’t hunt, Guys. Give it up.
William
July 5, 2025 at 4:30 pm
A phone call to the President would have been more respectful than publicly bashing him.
Larry Gillis, Director-at-Large, Libertarian Party of Florida
July 5, 2025 at 8:21 pm
Meh. He has flunkies who answer the phone.
TC
July 5, 2025 at 5:05 pm
If Trump is pleading ignorance on that word, I say believe him. He doesn’t read books, doesn’t know history, can’t communicate above a fourth grade reading level. He also doesn’t condemn the many Neo-nazis and white supremacists who openly support him for what they believe (and appears to be) his support of them, so there’s no doubt about who and what he really is.
Mike Smith
July 5, 2025 at 7:18 pm
TDS is very strong with this one. Poor guy can’t get over egg prices down over 60%. Fuel prices at four year lows. Zero! That’s right zero illegals entering the US from the Southern Border in May. Anyone heard from the Houthi’s lately? Oh yes they waved the white flag after Trump pulverized them. No more attacks from them on US merchant ships or Navy ships. I could go on. Trump still running circles around the Biden administration and the auto pen.
Michael K
July 5, 2025 at 7:37 pm
Trump never heard of Project 2025 either. He’s a pathological liar.
Just EARL
July 5, 2025 at 8:19 pm
Chastized, by Earl.
MAGA