Trump’s executive order gives the heads of departments and agencies 60 days to outline ways that they can better fight antisemitism. It also calls on them to take “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-Oct. 7, 2023 campus antisemitism.”
The president specified that the U.S. attorney general use “appropriate civil-rights enforcement authorities” to curb Jew-hatred, and the chief U.S. law enforcement officer’s report must also include a detailed list of court cases involving alleged civil-rights violations against Jewish students at universities that relate to or come after the Oct. 7 assault.
In the order, Trump directs the attorney general—a role which his nominee, Pam Bondi, appears poised to fill, having passed a Senate panel earlier in the day—to say in the report if she “intends to or has taken any action with respect to such matters, including filing statements of interest or intervention.”
Trump’s executive order directs the U.S. education secretary to create a detailed list of all Title VI complaints since Oct. 7, 2023, alleging Jew-hatred under the 1964 Civil Rights Act at all academic institutions, including K-12 levels.
The secretary is to decide whether the probes remain pending or have been resolved. Under the executive order, the U.S. secretaries of education, homeland security and state are directed to work together and recommend that schools report Jew-hatred from “alien” staff and students for investigation “and, if warranted, actions to remove such aliens.”
“We welcome this effort by President Trump to put the full force of the federal government against rising antisemitism in our country,” stated Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League. “Combating antisemitism requires a whole-of-government approach, and we are eager to see every federal agency and department take concrete measures to address this scourge.”
Greenblatt added that the ADL hopes that “holding perpetrators accountable to the fullest extent of the law—including, where applicable, violations of one’s visa conditions,” will have a deterrent effect on Jew-hatred on campuses.
“While we applaud strong action and severe consequences for those who commit violent crimes or otherwise break the law, any immigration-related ramifications obviously must be consistent with due process and existing federal statutes and regulations,” he added. “They also should not be used to target individuals for their constitutionally protected speech.”
“We welcome this important action by President Trump to combat the tidal wave of antisemitism that was unleashed by anti-Israel extremists on the nation’s campuses and streets in the aftermath of the barbaric Hamas attack of Oct. 7,” AIPAC stated.
Esther Panitch, a Democrat who is the only Jewish state representative in Georgia, thanked Trump. “Credit where credit is due,” she wrote.
Eliana Goodman, director of public policy at the Combat Antisemitism Movement, stated that the group “strongly” commends Trump “for expanding upon his historic commitment to protecting the Jewish community by deploying all levers of American federal power to combat the scourge of antisemitism in our country.”
“Nearly 16 months after the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, the unprecedented surge of global antisemitism it triggered continues to threaten the safety and well-being of American Jews across the country, particularly at colleges and universities, such as Harvard, Columbia and George Mason,” Goodman stated.
“The menacing dangers emanating from these campus incubators of Jew-hatred demand an immediate federal response, and we praise President Trump for taking bold and decisive action and for his proven friendship with the Jewish people at this critical moment in history,” she added.
The prior order that Trump reaffirmed adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of Jew-hatred, including its contemporary examples, such as comparing Israelis to Nazis, saying that the Jewish state is a racist country and holding Israel to a double standard.
Pastor John Hagee, chairman of Christians United for Israel, stated that “one cannot defeat that which they are unwilling to define.”
“Through this executive order, President Trump has doubled down on his landmark 2019 policy adopting the IHRA definition and reiterated his administration will continue their zero tolerance for Jew-hatred,” Hagee stated. “Now more than ever, I along with CUFI’s 10 million members, are very grateful to the president for his unequivocal stance on this vital issue.”
