Doug Emhoff calls Trump 'anti-Semitic' and 'toxic' for claiming Jews who back Democrats 'hate Israel': Jewish Second Gentleman says 'it's a disgusting thing to say by anyone'

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff angrily condemned former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, calling him 'anti-Semitic' for claiming that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel.'

Trump criticized the Biden administration and Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer during an interview with former White House advisor and now-radio host Sebastian Gorka. 

'I really believe they hate Israel,' the former president said about the Democrats. 

Emhoff addressed Trump's comments during a campaign visit to Omaha, Nebraska, on Tuesday. 

'This is a disgusting, toxic, antisemitic thing to say by anyone, let alone a former president of the United States,' said Emhoff about Trump's remarks about the conflict between Gaza and Israel. 

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff criticized Trump's comments about Israel

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about the conflict on Monday during a podcast interview

President Joe Biden has grown increasingly critical of Israeli Prime Minster Bibi Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer last week called for new elections in Israel. 

Trump said Democrat political figures were softening their support of Israel to placate angry Democrat voters who were critical of the war in Gaza. 

'Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion,' Trump said during the interview. 'They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.' 

Trump's comments also earned condemnation from the Anti-Defamation League.

'Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory and patently false,' wrote Jonathan Greenblatt, the chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League on X in response to Trump.

Greenblatt was a White House advisor to both Clinton and Obama during their administrations.

Emhoff criticized Trump even after his daughter Ella was caught promoting fundraising for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, a group with alleged ties to Hamas terrorists. 

The United States suspended funding to UNRWA after 12 of its members were accused of participating in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel. 

Ella Emhoff posted a link to the UNRWA to her social media profile before removing it after the New York Post questioned the White House about it. 

Doug Emhoff's daughter Ella was criticized for promoting fundraising for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency

Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, is the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris

Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of a president or a vice president in an American administration. As the second gentleman, he has made a push against anti-Semitism one of his priorities.

He joined Republicans criticizing the presidents of top universities after they testified to Congress in December, failing to denounce calls for genocide of the Jews on campus, citing the need for context.

'Let's be clear: When Jews are targeted because of their beliefs or identity, and when Israel is singled out because of anti-Jewish hatred, that is antisemitism, and it must be condemned,' Emhoff said. 'Condemned unequivocally and without context.'

In June, Emhoff traveled to Auschwitz to raise awareness of the Holocaust and growing antisemitism in the United States around the world.

“People used to be afraid to say the ugly epithets and lies out loud. Now, they are literally screaming them. We are witnessing an epidemic of hate in the United States and internationally,” Emhoff said after his visit.