Trump attacks Koch brothers with antisemitic dog whistle

"The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles."

JULY 31, 2018 14:39

Updated: JULY 31, 2018 17:46

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Latvia's President, Estonia's President and Lithuania's President at the White House, April 3, 2018. (photo credit: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS) — U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Latvia's President, Estonia's President and Lithuania's President at the White House, April 3, 2018.

(photo credit: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump used an antisemitic slur to attack Charles G. Koch and David H. Koch, sibling megadonors to the Republican party, in a post to Twitter Tuesday.

"The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade. I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas. They love my Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judicial picks & more," Trump wrote.

"I made them richer. Their network is highly overrated, I have beaten them at every turn. They want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed, I’m for America First & the American Worker - a puppet for no one. Two nice guys with bad ideas. Make America Great Again!" the president wrote.

The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade. I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas. They love my Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judicial picks & more. I made.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018

On Sunday, the Kochs' political action committee Americans for Prosperity announced that, for the first time, it would no longer support only Republican candidates, Vanity Fair reported. The Kochs refused to support Trump's presidential campaign, instead contributing $300 million to local Republican candidates, and have taken positions opposing the administration's policies on trade, immigration and other issues.

Trump has used the term "globalist" before. Trump called his former economic adviser Gary Cohn a "globalist" when he resigned from Trump's administration in March of this year. Cohn is Jewish.

“He’s been terrific. He may be a globalist, but I still like him." Trump said. "He is seriously a globalist. There’s no question. In his own way, but you know what, he’s a nationalist. He loves our country.”

The Anti-Defamation League defines “globalist” as an antisemitic slur.

"Although the term is not inherently antisemitic, 'globalist' is often used as a pejorative term for people whose interests in international commerce or finance ostensibly make them disloyal to the country in which they live," the ADL website states.

"Because of the long history of antisemitic associations of Jews with money and commerce, and allegations that Jews place their transnational ethnic affiliations ahead of the interests of their non-Jewish neighbors, these pejorative subtexts quickly take on antisemitic connotations," the website says.

Antisemites and white nationalists often use the term as a code word for Jews, according to the ADL.

Far right Republicans have also used the term. Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget and one of the Trump administration’s most senior economic policy officials, also called Cohn a globalist at his resignation. Stephen Bannon described Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner as a "globalist." Kushner is Jewish.

Prominent political commentator Ann Coulter has called Israel and several prominent Jews "globalists" on Twitter, including "Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax," who was Jewish.