(JTA) — Donald Trump’s campaign manager called the conduct of a supporter of the candidate who shouted “Jew-S-A” at reporters during a campaign rally “deplorable.”
Kellyanne Conway was reacting to a video clip of the incident at a rally Saturday night in Phoenix, Arizona, shown to her Sunday morning by CNN’s Jake Tapper on his “State of the Union” show.
The white, middle-aged Trump supporter, who was wearing a T-shirt suggesting that Hillary Clinton be sent to prison, shouted the chant at the press pen while the rest of the crowd was chanting “U-S-A.”
Asked by Tapper whether she would call the man’s conduct “deplorable,” Conway said: “Yes, I would. His conduct is completely unacceptable and does not reflect our campaign or our candidate.
“That man’s conduct was deplorable, and had I been there, I would have asked security to remove him immediately. Clearly he doesn’t speak for the campaign or the candidate, and what he had to say was disgusting.”
The Trump campaign’s press secretary, Hope Hicks, released a statement after the event saying the campaign “strongly condemns this kind of rhetoric and behavior. It’s not acceptable at our rallies or elsewhere.”
The incident came days after David Friedman, a Trump adviser on Israel, said in an interview with an Israeli television station that there is no anti-Semitic sentiment among the candidate’s supporters.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
