Trump is under fire for “Sherlock” remarks – Nadler, ADL denounces language as anti-Semitic

President Donald Trump His use of the term “Sherlock” was defended at a rally this week, saying he was unaware that some people thought it was anti-Semitic.

Trump used the term in his speech in Iowa on Thursday, shortly after Congress passed one of his iconic large bills earlier in the day.

Shylock is the name of the evil Jewish guaranteed person in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Wenice, who demands a pound of meat from the debtor.

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Over time, the name was used more widely to refer to the Loan Shark or the greedy Qianlan people. Today, it can be considered Anti-Semitic slanderespecially when referring to Jews.

“There is no death tax, no inheritance tax, no going to the bank and borrowing some from some in some cases, in some cases Sherlock and the bad guys,” Trump said. Inheritance tax and borrow someone to bear it.

The word didn’t elicit any reaction from the crowd, but his remarks quickly blew up online, and he later defended it when reporters said it was widely considered an anti-anti-anti word.

“No, I’ve never heard that before,” Trump replied. “To me, Sherlock is a guy who is bailed at a very high price. I’ve never heard that before.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that strives to combat anti-Semitism evokes the term “Jews and greedy anti-Semitists for centuries”, which is extremely offensive and dangerous. ”

President Donald Trump speaks at the U.S. 250 kickoff event at the Iowa State event on July 3, 2025. (Getty Image)

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“President Trump’s use of the term is very disturbing and irresponsible,” ADL wrote in a statement Friday. “It highlights how lying and conspiring About the Jews Maintain deep roots in our country. The words of our leaders are important and we expect more from the President of the United States. ”

Jewish Rep. Jerry Nadler agreed and tore up Trump’s use of the term.

Nadler wrote on X: “The word ‘Shylock’ is one of the most well-known anti-Semitic slander in English. It is a centuries-old Trope that fuels discrimination, hatred and violence against Jews. I denounce Donald Trump for dangerously using this large anti-Semitic verbal danger that exploits this fanatical anti-Semitic verbal and his long history at Antissmemitic tropess.”

Nadler went on to say that Trump has used the rise of anti-Semitism to curb freedom of speech, and he is not seriously addressing the issue.

John Podhoretz, a conservative political commentator who is also Jewish, shot at Nadler.

“I condemn your recognition of an anti-Semitic mayoral candidate because you are a coward of pusillanimimous,” Podhoretz wrote, who recognized Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City. “At the most, Trump said Sherlock was in the same week as Iran’s nuclear program. What did you do for Jew Jerry?”

Jewish Rep. Jerry Nadler criticized Trump for using the term. (tasos katopodis/getty image)

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Trump has addressed anti-Semitism, especially on college campuses and through immigration enforcement, which is a top priority for his campaign. He signed an executive order in January that requires all federal agencies to identify and apply tools to address anti-Semitic harassment and violence in higher education. His administration has also started investigations into anti-Semitism allegations against universities such as Harvard, Columbia and UC Berkeley, and threatened that they would collect federal funds if they don’t take action.

His daughter Ivanka was transformed into Orthodox Judaism in 2009 and married Jared Kushner, who was also Jewish.

Democrat Joe Biden said in the vice president that he made “bad choices” every day after using the term in his speech to legal aid organizations in 2014.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.