‘Nazi’ Controversies Could Hurt Donald Trump With Jewish Voters

Two recent “Nazi” controversies may end up harming Donald Trump’s plan to appeal to Jewish voters in the 2024 election.
On Thursday, CNN reported that North Carolina gubernatorial hopeful Mark Robinson, who Trump had endorsed, allegedly described himself as a “Black Nazi” on a pornographic message board site several years ago.
Robinson is accused of writing in 2012 that he would “take Hitler” over the Obama administration. The Republican, who is hoping to become North Carolina’s first Black governor, also said he wished slavery would make a return, adding: “I would certainly buy a few.” Robinson has denied the allegations as “salacious tabloid trash.”
The claims arrived days after NPR reported that Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, has twice featured events where a man convicted over the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol who federal prosecutors described as a “white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer” gave speeches.
Timothy Hale-Cusanelli was released from prison in December 2023 after being sentenced to four years in September 2022 for five counts, including a felony charge for obstruction of an official proceeding. He is said to have appeared at two fundraising events at Trump’s golf course hosted by a group that supports Capitol riot defendants.
While neither incident directly involves Trump, they are the latest example of him being linked to antisemitism or far-right extremism, which have followed the former president’s political career. The incidents could also damage Trump’s hopes to appeal to Jewish voters in November’s race.
Trump has long denied allegations he is antisemitic.
During a speech at the Israeli-American Council national summit in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Trump vowed to be the “best friend” Jewish Americans ever have in the White House while also citing his strong support of Israel.
Jews make up just over 2 percent of the U.S. population and have historically tended to favor Democratic candidates in elections.
However, the Jewish vote could have a significant influence on who wins the 2024 elections, especially in key swing states such as Pennsylvania, where more than 400,000 Jewish people reside, according to a 2022 census.
It remains to be seen how much the controversy surrounding Robinson affects Trump in North Carolina, a swing state the former president won in 2020 by almost 75,000 votes, where around 50,000 Jewish people live.
In a statement to NPR, Trump’s campaign said the former president is “not even aware” of who Hale-Cusanelli is, nor his extremist views.
Newsweek reached out to Trump’s office via email for comment.
The former president has previously been accused of mimicking Nazi rhetoric with his anti-immigration remarks, including suggesting migrants are “poisoning the blood” of the country.
Trump has also been condemned in the past for his associations with far-right extremists, including holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, who Trump met at his Mar-a-Lago resort in November 2022 alongside rapper Kanye West.
Trump has ramped up his attempts to appeal to Jewish voters. He appeared at a “Fighting Anti-Semitism in America” donor event on Thursday where, just like he did at the Israeli-American Council summit, he lamented his lack of support from Jewish voters.
“I really haven’t been treated right, but you haven’t been treated right because you’re putting yourself in great danger, and the United States hasn’t been treated right,” Trump said.
“I’m not going to call this as a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss.”
Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, accused Trump of pushing an “antisemitic trope” by suggesting Jewish people will be largely to blame for his election loss.
“Stop dividing Jews into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ camps. Stop labeling those who don’t support you as crazy or disloyal,” Spitalnick posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Stop playing into dual loyalty tropes. All of it makes Jews less safe.”