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| New Antisemitism Czar, Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun (on right) |
I mention this to highlight that I don’t agree with
everything Trump has done since taking office. Least of all his tariff policy.
But his reversal shows that he is not unwilling to reconsider a policy that
appears to have backfired. His intentions were good, but the tariff strategy he
used to realize those intentions was horribly flawed.
Speaking of his intentions, I have long ago concluded that
Trump is a full-fledged human being who genuinely cares about people. I realize
this flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that paints him as a
narcissist of unprecedented proportion.
Thing is, I don’t think those two aspects of his personality are mutually
exclusive. One can be highly self-indulgent and still care deeply about others.
Enough to go out of their way to help them. Those who know him best have said
this about him repeatedly, and I have no reason to doubt them. I’ve noticed it
myself in a few reported instances where he showed quiet, personal compassion.
When it comes to his policies - both foreign and domestic - I
believe his actions are guided by a mix of narcissism and empathy. I therefore
continue to believe that his foreign policy, particularly regarding Israel
(Judea and Samaria), Iran, Gaza, the Palestinians, the Jewish people, and his
support for religious values, is based on principle. That his personal morals
don’t always reflect those values is, frankly, irrelevant. What matters is that
he is restoring the moral foundations upon which this country was built, while
rejecting the progressive values that run counter to them. One can know the
difference between right and wrong and pursue national policies accordingly while
having personal failings on them.
Nowhere is Trump more deserving of appreciation by the
Jewish people - at least from those of us committed to the values of the Torah -
than in his actions regarding Israel and his domestic efforts to combat
antisemitism.
Sadly, we often find ourselves to be our own worst enemies
when it comes to these policies—particularly among less observant members of
the Jewish community. For example, 27 Jewish organizations are currently protesting
the detention of a Turkish student at Tufts University in the U.S. on a student
visa. Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that her detainment stemmed from
her support of campus protests that harassed Jewish students. These protests underscore
how many non-observant Jews are woke and align themselves with the most extreme
elements of the progressive elite.
(And yes, I use the word ‘woke’ to describe them. It has
become shorthand for an extreme form of liberalism that borders on
anti-Americanism—vilifying the Founding Fathers as little more than racist
slaveholders and - when it comes to us - attacking anyone who doesn’t promote
so-called ‘justice in Palestine’ in some way shape or form. But I digress.)
There are many indicators of Trump’s empathy with the Jewish
people, especially those of us who are observant. But his latest move may be
the clearest indicator yet: appointing Yehuda Kaploun, a full-fledged Lubavitch
Chassid, as Special Envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism - a position that
has now been elevated to ambassador status and requires Senate confirmation.
The previous envoy, Deborah Lipstadt, an internationally recognized expert on
antisemitism, resigned when Trump took office.
Whether Yehuda Kaploun will be effective in the role remains
to be seen. At the same time I’m not even sure how effective Deborah Lipstadt
was during her tenure. But one thing is certain: Orthodox Jews will not be
shortchanged by his advocacy.
Of course, I realize that Trump critics will find ways to
refute everything I’ve said here that casts him in a positive light. Even the
appointment of a Shomer Shabbos Jew to fight antisemitism. But as far as I’m
concerned, I couldn’t be happier with this selection. And that makes me prouder
than ever to be an American (of the politically conservative Orthodox Jewish persuasion).
