The re-election of Donald Trump to the office of president of the United States is a monumental moment in American history. After losing the 2020 election, claiming that it had been rigged and inspired, whether directly or indirectly, a violent rally on the Capitol building, Trump was ushered into victory on a massive red wave. Not only did he thoroughly defeat Kamala Harris in both the popular and electoral college votes, support for him and the Republican party increased in nearly every state across the country and in nearly every demographic – including Jewish Americans.
The National Election Pool’s exit poll, cited nationwide, found that 79% of Jews across 10 states (notably not California or New York, where Jews live in large numbers and typically vote Democrat) voted for Harris. If truly reflective of the Jewish vote, this would be in line with the way Jews have voted in previous elections – overwhelmingly Democrat. However, the picture may not be that clear-cut. A Tablet article looked at the numbers where Jews actually live and found that, in New York, “[n]early every neighborhood with a notable density of Jewish-specific businesses and institutions, be they Hasidic, Litvish, Syrian, Russian, Bukharan, Conservative, Reform, or modern Orthodox, voted heavily Republican or saw a rise in Trump’s performance.”
Fox News’ exit polls seem to confirm this. Adam Milstein, a Los Angeles based venture philanthropist and Jewish advocate, retweeted journalist Ali Yashar who said: “Fox News exit polls show a significant erosion of Jewish support for the Democratic presidential candidate in New York, a state with a large Jewish American population.” The Fox News numbers cited were 56% for Harris and 43% for Trump. Milstein has written tirelessly about the failure of the Democratic party to condemn the rampant antisemitism that has gripped its progressive wing, and so he was likely not surprised at this sharp decline of Jewish support in New York, the state with the highest population of Jews.
An American of Israeli descent, Milstein and his wife Gila co-founded the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation in 2000 with a mission to support a network of organizations that strengthen American values, support the U.S.-Israel alliance and combat hatred and bigotry in all forms. Through his work with organizations like StandWithUs and Alums for Campus Fairness, Milstein knows how vital it is to combat antisemitism that comes from the political left. Following October 7th, 2023 massacre, the countless anti-Israel protests it spurred on American streets and campuses and the utter failure of most women’s organizations to condemn the sexual violence perpetrated against Israelis on that dark day, he wrote emphatically about the left’s alienation of Jews, who have been its staunchest ally for decades:
The Jewish political home, the American left, turns a blind eye to war crimes and to the sexual mutilation of women, children, and men when the victims are Jews. It has become clear that in leftist spaces, the American Jew is dehumanized as a mere oppressor, occupier, and colonialist – a white-privileged apartheid supporter. Compassion for the deep trauma Jews sustained was nowhere to be found.
Though the majority of American Jews still voted blue, the rightward shift compared to years past is telling. It’s undoubtable that the state of affairs on the left, which Milstein so presciently assessed, influenced many Jewish voters inside the ballot box. With a progressive wing that calls for an embargo on arms to Israel, it’s difficult to trust that a Democratic president wouldn’t cave into those demands. During the campaign, Trump made clear his position that the shipment of arms to Israel would not stop, and since his victory, he has vowed that deliveries will be sped up when he becomes president.
While in office from 2016-2020, Trump made many bold moves in Israel’s favor. In 2019, Milstein thanked Trump for “his commitment to Israel which includes moving the embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and affirming the right of Jews to live legally in Judea and Samaria.” Milstein has also consistently praised the game-changing Abraham Accords, which “pave[e] the way to full normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab nations of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain” as well as Sudan and Morocco. Milstein sees the Accords as “more than a framework for normalizing Arab-Israeli relations. It is also a tool for economic, political, and diplomatic cooperation and integration.” With Trump back in office, the Abraham Accords may very well expand to include the crown jewel: Saudi Arabia.
How a U.S. president handles Iran is a vital piece of his foreign policy. Milstein heavily criticized Obama’s Iran nuclear deal and co-authored a piece with The Heritage Foundation’s James Jay Carafano about Biden’s effort to renew it: “[T]he new deal would be even worse than the original. Instead of the ‘stronger and longer’ agreement we’d been promised, the deal now on the table is weaker and will shorten the time for Iran to become a nuclear power.” Milstein also criticized Biden for lifting some of the sanctions against Iran that Trump had started.
Despite Trump’s achievements in his first term, how he will behave in a second is not set in stone. He’s promised to end all wars overseas, including in the Middle East. With regard to his policy toward Iran, he stated, “[W]e’re going to be friendly, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon.” Whether this means a return to sanctions or a direct intervention is unclear.
Regardless of how they voted, the American Jewish community should stay vigilant and ensure Trump holds to his campaign promises. We must also ensure that he does not play host to antisemites like Kanye West of Nick Fuentes, as he did in 2022. Milstein called him out for this at the time: “By hosting them, Trump not only validated, but elevated them. … Trump’s pro-Israel policies do not grant a free pass for platforming blatant antisemites.” It’s up to American Jews to safeguard the safety of our community by following Milstein’s advice: “[C]ollectively establish clear norms and hold individuals accountable not only for their actions, but for the unavoidable results of their actions as well.”