On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a new executive order aimed at combating antisemitism in the United States. This action comes in the wake of a chilling rise in anti-Semitic incidents that have surged following the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023 and went unanswered by the Biden administration.
“My Administration has fought and will continue to fight anti-Semitism in the United States and around the world,” Trump stated in the order, making it clear that this issue remains a top priority. This statement echoes his earlier efforts with Executive Order 13899, issued in December 2019, which sought to protect Jewish students from harassment in schools and universities. However, the Biden administration's negligence effectively nullified these protections, leading to an alarming situation where Jewish students have been increasingly vulnerable.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, there was a dramatic spike in antisemitic incidents in the final three months of 2023, with incidents rising 321% specifically on university campuses. The Biden administration responded to skyrocketing antisemitism by launching an initiative to combat islamophobia.
In his executive order, Trump pointed out that the October 7 terrorist attacks “unleashed an unprecedented wave of vile anti-Semitic discrimination, vandalism, and violence against our citizens,” particularly targeting Jewish students on campuses—places that should be bastions of learning and safety. “Jewish students have faced an unrelenting barrage of discrimination; denial of access to campus common areas and facilities...and intimidation, harassment, and physical threats and assault.” It’s a disturbing reality that has gone unanswered by the federal government for too long.
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The new executive order outlines specific directives for federal agencies to report on and propose additional measures to combat campus anti-Semitism. Within 60 days, department heads are required to submit comprehensive reports on existing civil and criminal authorities that can be leveraged to fight back against these rising tides of hate.
The order doesn’t pull any punches; it declares, “It shall be the policy of the United States to combat anti-Semitism vigorously, using all available and appropriate legal tools.” This robust approach signifies that the federal government will not shy away from prosecuting those who engage in anti-Semitic harassment and violence. Sadly, we got such a lackluster response to the growing normalization of hate during the Biden years, but this order signals a shift—a commitment to accountability.
Further measures include encouraging the attorney general to employ civil rights enforcement authorities, such as 18 U.S.C. 241, to confront anti-Semitic actions decisively. Trump's administration recognizes that the protection of Jewish students is not merely about words but about concrete actions that hold perpetrators accountable.
It’s clear that this executive order is a necessary step toward creating a safer and more inclusive environment for all citizens after Biden-Harris did nothing about it. The order mandates that each executive department agency submit a report “identifying all civil and criminal authorities or actions within the jurisdiction of that agency, beyond those already implemented under Executive Order 13899, that might be used to curb or combat anti-Semitism, and containing an inventory and analysis of all pending administrative complaints, as of the date of the report, against or involving institutions of higher education alleging civil-rights violations related to or arising from post-October 7, 2023, campus anti-Semitism.”
This order is a much-needed stand against antisemitism from the White House that we didn’t get under Biden.
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