Trump Blasts 'Horrible' Rise in US Anti-Semitic Threats
President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the telephoned bomb threats to eleven Jewish community centers reported Monday, calling the action "horrible" and "painful."
Trump commented on the threats Tuesday after touring the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, opened recently in Washington.
"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump said.
"This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms," Trump added.
The Jewish Community Centers Association of America reported Monday's phoned-in bomb threats were determined to be hoaxes, as were a number of similar calls made in January. At least 60 Jewish centers around the country have been threatened this year.
The FBI said it will team with the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department to investigate "possible civil rights violations in connection with threats" to the centers.
Ivanka Trump, daughter of the president and a convert to Judaism before her marriage to Trump advisor Jared Kushner, wrote on Twitter Monday, "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers."
America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017
She used the hashtag #JCC. She joined her father at Tuesday's museum tour.
Jewish groups had criticized the White House last month after a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day did not include a reference to Jews.
