Roughly half of Jewish Americans consider President Donald Trump to be antisemitic, and few believe his policies targeting antisemitism on college campuses are helping the situation, according to newly released poll results.
The survey also reveals declining support for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and a notable drop in the emotional connection many American Jews feel toward Israel following the outbreak of war with Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The poll, conducted by GBAO Strategies, shows that 52% of Jewish registered voters say the label “antisemitic” fits Trump either “very well” or “somewhat well.”
In addition to that perception, 74% of those surveyed said they disapprove of Trump’s performance in office, while 26% gave him their approval. Close to 70% said that the terms “fascist” and “racist” also describe him to some degree.
Jewish voters have long leaned Democratic, and polls have consistently shown low levels of support for Trump among this demographic. This latest data confirms that most intend to vote Democratic in the upcoming midterm elections.
Still, the antisemitism label is particularly noteworthy given Trump’s repeated claims that he is working to combat Jew-hatred. His administration has implemented several aggressive measures, such as slashing funding to universities and targeting foreign students involved in anti-Israel activism, with the stated goal of addressing antisemitism.
However, the survey shows that most Jewish voters view those policies as counterproductive. A greater number believe these actions are fueling antisemitism rather than reducing it.
Specifically, 49% said that the removal of university funding led to increased antisemitism, compared to just 25% who said it had the opposite effect. Another 26% said there was no change.
When it came to the administration’s efforts to arrest and deport foreign pro-Palestinian demonstrators, 61% said it heightened antisemitism, while only 20% felt it decreased it. Another 20% believed the effect was neutral.
A large majority—77%—expressed concern about antisemitism on college campuses. Even more said they’re worried about antisemitism across the country at large.
Despite that concern, only 36% gave Trump a positive rating for his handling of antisemitism, while 64% said they disapprove of his approach.
“Part of what’s going on is that Jewish voters believe that the actions that the Trump administration is taking, statements that the president is making, statements and actions of others in his administration, that these things actually increase antisemitism,” explained Jim Gerstein, a founding partner at GBAO Strategies, during a briefing on the findings.
He continued, “It is very striking that a lot of things that are being done in the name of combating antisemitism, Jews in America actually believe that these things increase antisemitism, instead of reduce antisemitism.”
The research was carried out for the Jewish Voters Resource Center, a newly established nonpartisan organization focused on collecting and sharing insights about Jewish voters and their concerns. GBAO surveyed 800 Jewish voters between April 22 and May 1, with a margin of error of 3.5%. The firm has previously worked with left-leaning Jewish groups.
The data release comes shortly after the end of Trump’s first 100 days back in office. It follows another recent poll, conducted by the Mellman Group in late April, which found that 72% of Jewish Americans disapproved of Trump’s performance.
This new poll also shows that 74% of Jewish voters disapprove of Trump’s foreign policy agenda, matching the percentage who disapprove of him overall. That same split was seen in their response to Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Arab nations and have the U.S. assume control over the territory. Respondents also largely rejected several other Trump policies not directly related to Israel or Jewish matters.
An overwhelming 92% of those polled said someone can still be “pro-Israel” while criticizing the policies of the Israeli government. However, the number of people who said they feel a connection to Israel fell significantly—from 82% prior to the October 7 attacks to 69% now.
Only 34% of respondents said they view Netanyahu positively, while 61% expressed unfavorable views. Furthermore, 62% believe Netanyahu resumed fighting in Gaza in March to advance his political interests rather than protect national security, with 38% holding the opposite view.
The poll also revealed deep skepticism about the consequences of resumed military operations. Nearly three-quarters—72%—said the renewed fighting makes it more likely that the hostages being held in Gaza will be killed. Just 28% believe those efforts increase the chances of the hostages being freed.
“When Jews are looking at Israel and thinking about Israel, while they’re very attached to it, it’s very striking how negative the attitudes towards Netanyahu are,” Gerstein said.
{Matzav.com}