Washington (Quds News Network)- U.S. President Donald Trump used on Wednesday the term “Palestinian” as a slur to refer to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S. government, sparking outrage among Palestinians and American Jews.
“Schumer is a Palestinian as far as I’m concerned. He’s become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish, he’s not Jewish anymore. He’s a Palestinian,” Trump said in response to a question about the U.S. corporate tax rate during an Oval office meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
JUST IN: Trump uses Palestinian as an INSULT
“Chuck Schumer is a Palestinian as far as I'm concerned. He used to be Jewish. He's not Jewish anymore. He's a Palestinian.”
Trump is an Israeli. And that’s the worst insult there is.
pic.twitter.com/7ic2OuqXvH— ADAM (@AdameMedia) March 12, 2025
Schumer, who served as Senate majority leader when Democrats held the majority during the previous four years, is considered the highest-ranking Jewish official in the US government.
The president routinely likened Schumer to “a Palestinian” during the campaign, at one point calling Schumer a “proud member of Hamas.” Trump also repeatedly criticized Jews that planned to support Democrats in the November election, calling them “fools” who need “their head examined.”
After using the term yesterday against Biden, former US president, Donald Trump, calls the Majority Leader of the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, Palestinian, using the term as a slur. pic.twitter.com/hfyVV0HywA
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 28, 2024
The comment came as Republicans are trying to get a government spending bill enacted before funding runs out on Friday evening. Republicans would need at least eight Democratic votes in the Senate, assuming the GOP remains aligned in support, according to Politico.
Trump’s remarks sparked outrage among Palestinians, who called them “dehumanizing,” and among American Jews, who condemned him for “weaponizing antisemitism.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) condemned Trump’s comment. “President Trump’s use of the term ‘Palestinian’ as a racial slur is offensive and beneath the dignity of his office. He should apologize to the Palestinian and American people,” said Cair national executive director Nihad Awad, who is himself of Palestinian heritage.
“It is the continuing dehumanization of the Palestinian people that has resulted in horrific hate crimes against Palestinian-Americans, the US-enabled genocide in Gaza, and decades of denial of Palestinian human rights by successive presidential administrations.”
Trump 🇺🇸, sitting next to the Irish Taoiseach 🇮🇪, refers to political opponent Senator Schumer as a “Palestinian”
He is calling Palestinians sub human.
He is a racist, genocide supporting fascist who the world should isolate.
He belongs in The Hague.https://t.co/iXVLKSqFEq
— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) March 12, 2025
Trump is completely unraveling. He just called Chuck Schumer “Palestinian” as if it was a racial slur so that he can show he’s all more subservient to Israel than Schumer is?
This is ur king MAGA? U actually think he’s working on behalf of yall? He isn’t even working on behalf… https://t.co/Y17DRWRmaQ
— Duopoly Destroyer (@realnikohouse) March 12, 2025
Trump escalates attack on American Jews:
“Schumer is a Palestinian as far as I'm concerned. He's become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He's not Jewish anymore. He's a Palestinian.”
Schumer is the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in Americapic.twitter.com/VTipGNXj0S
— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) March 12, 2025
Trump’s attack on Schumer is antisemitic and racist. He’s policing Jewish identity, invoking the dual loyalty trope, and implying Palestinians are evil. This is dangerous incitement.
Jewish groups must say it clearly: the President is spreading hate and weaponizing antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/DO9ODieRmZ
— The Nexus Project (@NexusProjectUS) March 12, 2025