Vance Dismisses Anti-Semitism in America

(Nathan Howard/New York Times)

In a recent interview, Vice-President JD Vance dismissed virtually any notion of anti-Semitism in America:

I think that Nick Fuentes, his influence within Donald Trump’s administration, and within a whole host of institutions on the right, is vastly overstated, and frankly, it’s overstated by people who want to avoid having a foreign-policy conversation about America’s relationship with Israel.

Ninety-nine percent of Republicans, and I think probably 97% of Democrats, do not hate Jewish people for being Jewish. What is actually happening is that there is a real backlash to a consensus view in American foreign policy. I think we ought to have that conversation and not try to shut it down. Most Americans are not antisemitic, they’re never going to be antisemitic, and I think we should focus on the real debate.

Well, it is worth noting that Vance doesn't deny Fuentes have influence over his administration. Vance just doesn't want to talk about it and would like to change the subject namely to America's relationship with Israel. Clearly, Vance thinks that relationship should change. If that's the case, then let's hear what he actually thinks, if he has thought at all. Of course, that Vance should single out Israel as the lone country where such re-evaluation is warranted then it is well worth asking why that is. 

It is also telling that Vance claims 99% of Republicans and 97% of Democrats aren't anti-Semitic. I'm not sure where he gets those figures. But let us suppose for a moment that Vance's assessment is accurate. If Vance is correct, then it is equally telling that a significant number of the 1% of Republicans who are anti-Semitic could be found at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest where not only Vance spoke but where participants openly claimed Israel was involved in the 9/11 attacks. At an earlier TPUSA powwow, Vance took a question from a student who claimed Jews were openly persecuting Christians without challenging the question's dubious premise.

If this is the sort of conversation that Vance's allies are having about America's relationship with Israel, then Vance is being willfully dishonest not only about the nature of the conversation but about the growing malignancy of anti-Semitism in America.