Pa. AG Shapiro talks anti-Semitism with Trump, calls president’s comments unclear
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. (NewsWorks file photo)
After a rash of anti-Semitic vandalism and threats over the last week in Pennsylvania and around the country, President Donald Trump met in Washington with a handful of state attorneys general, including Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro.
Shapiro, a Democrat, said he asked Trump directly about the recent incidents — specifically, bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers, and defacement of a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia.
He said Trump denounced the vandalism and threats strongly — at first.
But then the president went on to suggest the “reverse” may be true, to “make others look bad.”
Asked by reporters whether that means the vandalism and threats were staged, Shapiro said he doesn’t know.
In a statement, he said that regardless, he’s grateful the president took time to meet.
The meeting took place several hours before Trump’s high-profile speech before a joint session of Congress — a first for the new president.
He briefly addressed the situation further, again condemning anti-Semitism.
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