Trump Uses Term Considered Antisemitic, Denies Awareness

President Donald Trump used the term "shylock" during a rally in Iowa to describe unscrupulous moneylenders, unaware that the word is considered an anti-Semitic slur rooted in Shakespeare's depiction of a Jewish moneylender in "The Merchant of Venice." Trump stated he had "never heard it that way" and did not recognize the term's offensive connotations. The Anti-Defamation League condemned the usage, calling it "troubling and irresponsible" due to its evocation of harmful stereotypes about Jewish greed. Trump made the remark while celebrating the passage of his "big, beautiful bill" that included tax cuts and estate tax exemptions. Despite the administration's efforts to combat anti-Semitism, including immigration screening and confronting alleged anti-Semitism at Harvard, Trump has a history of comments that critics say play on Jewish stereotypes. The controversy highlights ongoing sensitivities around language and anti-Semitic tropes in American political discourse.