Trump Claims Unawareness Term 'Shylock' Is Antisemitic

President Donald Trump stated he was unaware that the term "Shylock" is considered antisemitic when he used it during a speech to describe unscrupulous moneylenders. Trump explained to reporters that he "never heard it that way" and did not know the term was an offensive Jewish stereotype. The Anti-Defamation League condemned the use of the word, calling it a "centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed" and deemed Trump's usage troubling and irresponsible. While Trump's administration claims to prioritize combating antisemitism, Trump has a history of making statements that critics say play on Jewish stereotypes, including remarks made to the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2015 and controversial comments about Jewish Americans who identify as Democrats. Former Vice President Joe Biden previously apologized for using the term in 2014, acknowledging it as a poor choice of words. Trump's recent use of the term has drawn criticism from Democrats who label it as blatant antisemitism, though Trump maintains ignorance of its offensive connotation.