Washington – Jewish Groups Angered As Trump Accuses Chasidic Reporter Of Lying At Press Conference

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    U.S. President Donald Trump calls on Jewish reporter Jake Turx  during a news conference announcing Alexander Acosta as the new Labor Secretary nominee in the East Room at the White House on February 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)Washington – Instead of writing the headlines, an Orthodox Jewish reporter is making headlines after he was called out as a liar by President Trump.

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    Jake Turx, a long time contributor to Ami Magazine, was at today’s White House press conference when the exchange took place. The president called on Turx towards the end of the conference, saying that he was looking to take his next question from a “friendly reporter.”

    “Are you a friendly reporter?” Trump asked. “Let’s see how friendly he is.”

    Turx began his question by saying that he had seen no evidence of any anti-Semitism in the Trump White House but expressing concern over a recent spike in anti-Semitic incidents in recent weeks. seconds into his question, Trump interrupted Turx, telling him to sit down.

    Addressing the room the president said, “You see he said he was going to ask a very simple easy question. And it’s not. It’s not. Not a simple question, not a fair question.”

    Trump defended himself as “the least anti-Semitic person that you’ve ever seen in your entire life” and “the least racist person.”

    When Turx tried to clarify his question he was silenced repeatedly by the president, who shot back, “See, he lied about he was going to get up and ask a very straight simple question, so you know, welcome to the world of the media.”

    Trump went on to categorize Turx’s question as repulsive and hateful.

    A stunned Turx posted on Twitter “President Trump clearly misunderstood my question. This is highly regretful and I’m going to seek clarification. #TrumpNewsConference.”

    Turx did not respond to a request for comment.

    Jewish organizations were quick to condemn the president for his words, with David Harris, CEO of the American Jewish Congress calling Trump’s reaction “unfair.”

    “Instead of answering a timely and legitimate question, the president chose instead chose to besmirch the reporter,” said Harris, noting that the President also dodged a second question at the same press conference on anti-Semitism.

    Harris called on President Trump to understand that press conference questions are not intended as personal slights.

    “Respectfully, Mr. President, please use your bully pulpit not to bully reporters asking questions potentially affecting millions of fellow Americans, but rather to help solve a problem that, for many, is real and menacing,” said Harris.

    CNN video of the press conference shows a bewildered Turx repeatedly shaking his head as the president seemed to interpret the question as an accusation of anti-Semitism.

    “In the face of danger, Trump dismisses critics, attacks journalists,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and director of the American Defamation League. “These are not answers to a simple questions: What is he going to do about the surge in anti-Semitism?”

    Rechy Frankfurter, senior editor at Ami Magazine said that her reporter’s question was a fair one and that she believes that President Trump misheard the question.

    “We actually are heartened that he has such a visceral reaction to anyone calling him an anti-Semite,” said Frankfuter. “It just shows how repulsive anti-Semites are to him and how bothered he is by the accusations that have been unfairly leveled at him.”

    Frankfurter said that even after today’s exchange, she believes strongly that the Jewish community has a staunch ally in the Oval Office.

    “We believe Donald Trump is a great friend and defender of Jews and always has been,” said Frankfurter.


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    65 Comments
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    Haimov
    Haimov
    7 years ago

    Trump did not realize that a reporter was an orthodox jew

    garyone
    garyone
    7 years ago

    As autrodox jews We would be better off not to have one of us sitting and asking studied questions

    Sam23
    Sam23
    7 years ago

    Well when every single day Trumps attacked in the fake press pusshing a fake kkk connection compared to nazis, its faur for him to assume reporter is continuing to push this falsenarrative.

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    7 years ago

    Trump is not an anti-Semite. Trump does want to forgo the support of his anti-Semitic supporters and Neo-nazi friends

    yonasonw
    Member
    yonasonw
    7 years ago

    Gee…when Trump treats a Yiddishe reporter the same he treats everyone else, some of younsound surprised! Wake up and smell the coffee – the President is completely unhinged, clinically so, and a danger to us all.

    fat36
    fat36
    7 years ago

    From all people he should ask that question.either way the guy didn’t belong there

    7 years ago

    Who cares about Frankfurter anyways?

    PureSatmar
    PureSatmar
    7 years ago

    Frankfurer still believes that . . .
    Come on Rechy, wake up on time to prepare for Shabbes, wake up call for all those who voted for his vulgar hollow promises.
    An idiot is an idiot. You follow blindly, cause of the guilty feeling.

    A reporter received a text from a GOP senator during the press conference “he should do it in front of a therapist, not in front of the nation”

    Shocking! When the public will finally be fed up, they’ll point yhe finger on us for voting him in.

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    7 years ago

    If Trump does not like the question he ignores it! Does not answer it! That is not the proper thing to do!

    savtat
    savtat
    7 years ago

    The reporter asked the question like one would parse out a gemmara, clearly, this was too complicated for this audience. Had he asked the second part only, perhaps the response would have been different. The question was heard as an assault because of the preface.

    7 years ago

    Yesterday he mocked the President in front of many reporters not to smart not to professional it’s very possible the president has watched it and felt its pay back time

    https://youtu.be/iv2yLCiFozE

    firster
    firster
    7 years ago

    Jewish Groups are angered?

    There has been a completely false, unsubstantiated claim that there was a rise in anti-Semitsm since Trumps election, and that it’s Trump’s fault.

    Trump has been taking this BS blame from the media for months now, and he’s sick and tired of it.

    This Jake Turx fellow brought up the false claim, and so he shot him down.

    Trump did the right thing.

    ayinglefunadorf
    ayinglefunadorf
    7 years ago

    Whats the chiddush? A German shuts up the Yid. Whats next? Say Thilem please.

    7 years ago

    This so called reporter was focused on rating not on the substance he knew well the president was going to get annoyed as a similar question was asked yesterday and was not well received , it’s totally unnecessary to be provocative leave this to the mainstream media be respectful or don’t show up

    Sam23
    Sam23
    7 years ago

    The Ami reporter Turx was just interviewed on Foxnews & he defended the President & stated that he clearly understands Trump sensitivity after all the fakenews accusations & his question wasnt clearly communicated. The Ami Reporter said that Trumps the best friends the orthodox jewish community had in a long time unlike the fake ADL Jews Greenlblatt/Sharpton

    7 years ago

    Im a strong fan of Turx. I read his column every wk. Extremely versed and with a fantastic sense of humor. The irony is that Turx comes across as a real Trumpist so am completly appalled how he had the audacity to basically accuse our president of a being a so called anti semite. A chasidk Jew in Orthodox garb should know better. It is in every way a total chilul Hashem even if he had no intentions of it. Ami in general dedicates almost every wk pieces of Antisemitism which doesnt even exist. I think it definitely brings it on ch”v. Turx probbly is so ensconsed in what Ami is so foucused on that he just tied his brain behind his back and asked Trump a question that shldve NEVER been asked. He probbly is not to blame. Being the good guy he is he thought its an opportunity of a lifetime. Sadly it resulted in a tremendous chilul Hashem. Its about time we yiddn lay low. It wld do us all galus yiddn a grand favor.

    hashomer
    hashomer
    7 years ago

    This yutz Turx wears his personal logo on his yarmulke! Is that kosher? He was just on Fox and defended the guy who just plotzed on his beard, and said ‘only non-Jews are saying Trump is an antisemite. They don’t know, so they can’t be the judge of what is antisemitic’. He defended Herr Trumpf saying ‘I know this man for 2 years, there’s not a bone in his body that hates Jews’ etc. WELL BOYCHICKS- I AM A JEW AND I’M CALLING OUT TRUMP AS THE JEW HATER BIGOT RACIST THAT HE IS. Why be anywhere near Bannon? Alex Jones? Neo-nazi white supremacists? ONLY A JEW HATER IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE MAMZERIN. TURX IS TOXIC.

    bpgirl
    bpgirl
    7 years ago

    Turx’s question was fair and even prefaced with flattery. Under normal circumstances would have been settled with a basic, generic response decrying bigotry. The reason why this became a fiasco is because Trump isn’t normal. Trump is simply crazy – and sadly that is not gonna change.
    Turx was smart to take the position of “misunderstanding” since he needs to maintain favorable or at least decent standing for Ami in this white house press corps.
    We’re only 4 weeks in and I feel like I’m watching a freak / horror / comedy show with this narcissistic, thin skinned, bullying braggadocios so-called president. #babydonald

    7 years ago

    There is some ” anonymous individual who loves to flood VIN with negative anti trump
    Comments bullying every other commentor and calling trump a nazi m and German and a herr trumpf. It’s one guy or I should say loser trying to knock us the majority viewpoint out by just overwhelming vin with his silly unbased non intellectual name calling . I don’t know if it’s not yonasonw as he once threatened straight out that he would do that or it’s hashomer or it’s a third guy . But we know you are all one guy . And you are a baby saw loser .

    7 years ago

    I agree 100% with #11 and #16 . Jake Turx deserved what he got. Turx asked a stupid, dumb, and reprehensible question. I don’t blame Trump for telling him to sit down, as Turx was implying that Trump was responsible for anti-semitism, since his election (a lie). It is incredible and astounding that #31 and others on this site are spreading lies that there has been an increase in anti-semitism, because of Trump. The ADL, American Jewish Congress, and Ami Magazine have their own political agendas to grind. Trump received an astounding amount of support from the Hareidi community in the USA. It is the left which is making up these lies about Trump, and hatred of Jews. There has never been a statistical report published in the USA, by the FBI, the Justice Dept., or by any other group, which has shown a definitive correlation between anti-semitism in the USA, and the election of Donald Trump. There have always been neo-nazis here. However, it is far worse in Europe, and other countries, than it is here. Jake Turx has his own agenda, and deserved what he got. His question was a shanda, and will stir up additional hatred towards Jews! Incidentally, Trump won the election fairly!

    Shimon
    Shimon
    7 years ago

    If you watched the report on the Tucker Carlson show last night, he made it clear Trump’s support for the Orthodox community.

    savtat
    savtat
    7 years ago

    The echoes of Purim get stronger.

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    7 years ago

    I watched the press conference twice! The reporter did not deserve the treatment he received! He asked a question which Pres. Trump evaded — not good! Pres. Trump evades a lot of questions. We cannot force him to answer questions. The reporter from Ami still did not deserve the harsh treatment that he received. Any reporter might have received it. A few weeks ago it was somebody from CNN so this week it is a Jew from Ami. Tough luck!!

    jason1974
    jason1974
    7 years ago

    Like it or not Trump treats everyone the same whether they are wearing a kippah or not and as he should. To you sensative fearful people, he is not antisemtic he is a brash personality who doesnt care what people like you think.

    7 years ago

    Can’t wait to read next week twisted editorial by “Rabbi ” Frankfurter (oich mir a rebbe) how his Rosh Yeshivah charged him with some mission. Ami is so overrated, I stopped reading your boring magazine long time ago.

    7 years ago

    It’s amazing how trump is such a confident person yet so low self esteem. Turx started with a complement and trump thought he is being criticized.
    As for turx you had a life time opportunity to ask a smart intelligence important relevant question and you simply wasted it. Ami your still stuck on the Holocaust And anti semitisim… move ON! Seriously … kvetch kvetch and more kvetch.

    marcia
    marcia
    7 years ago

    Everyone get over it, ‘Reporter’ said it was going to be a short question, + IMHO, POTUS didn’t even hear the entire LONG Statement..oye how long he rambled…it was much ado about nothin’…

    7 years ago

    Jake Turx deserved what he got; even after Trump told him to sit down, Turx was acting disrespectfully, towards our President, and didn’t act like a mentch. Halacha commands us to obey the laws of the country, which we live in, and to act with humility and kindness. Turx acted arrogant and aggressive. His question was stupid to begin with. He mentioned hate calls being received by Jewish community centers across the USA. However, there is not one iota of proof, that those calls have come from Trump supporters. They could be coming from Hillary supporters, to make Trump look bad. For the first time in 228 years, we finally have a President, who has more Jewish connections, than any other President in our brief history. Yet, Turx would look to destroy that with his rude, insulting, and disrespectful question. There are people without any sachel on this site, who don’t realize that Trump has acted kindly to Jews his entire life, both in business, in school, and to complete strangers, who he has helped financially. The Editor of AMI magazine should fire Turx, forthwith.