Biden condemns antisemitism as Ye praises Hitler days after dinner with Trump

President Joe Biden denounced antisemitism and took a veiled jab astatine Donald Trump days aft the erstwhile president dined with rapper Ye, who has made a drawstring of caller antisemitic comments, and achromatic nationalist Nick Fuentes.

"I conscionable privation to marque a fewer things clear," Biden tweeted Friday from his authoritative account. "The Holocaust happened. Hitler was a demonic figure. And alternatively of giving it a platform, our governmental leaders should beryllium calling retired and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides. Silence is complicity."

The connection comes a time aft the rapper formerly known arsenic Kanye West told right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones "I similar Hitler" during an antisemitic rant. He besides tweeted retired a swastika successful a Star of David, prompting a suspension from the platform.

Trump, the presumptive frontrunner for the 2024 GOP statesmanlike nomination, had meal past week with West and Fuentes astatine his Mar-a-Lago club, sparking wide condemnation. West's comments person lone go much inflammatory since the meal, and Trump has not yet disavowed his transportation with the rapper.

"I emotion Jewish people, but I besides emotion Nazis," West told Jones connected his InfoWars show, besides praising what helium considered Hitler's contributions to society. Fuentes, who the Department of Justice labeled arsenic a achromatic supremacist past year, was besides a impermanent connected the hate-filled program. Jones, a noted conspiracy theorist, filed for idiosyncratic bankruptcy Friday pursuing a suit filed by the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which helium spent astir a decennary calling a hoax.

West's comments were violative capable for Republicans connected the House Judiciary Committee to delete a tweet they posted connected Oct. 6, which read: "Kanye. Elon. Trump." The committee members received pushback connected the station for weeks aft billionaire Elon Musk allowed antecedently banned right-wing figures including Trump and West to rejoin Twitter.

West was erstwhile again booted from Twitter connected Friday aft helium posted an representation of a swastika, a awesome synonymous with the Nazis, wrong a Star of David, a salient awesome of Judaism. West antecedently had his Twitter relationship suspended successful October, anterior to Musk's purchase, aft helium posted that helium was "going decease con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE." Musk announced the institution had restored West's relationship connected Nov. 20 and welcomed the rapper backmost to the platform, tweeting "Don't termination what ye hate, prevention what ye love."

West's nett worthy dropped by hundreds of millions of dollars aft Adidas announced it was ending its partnership with the rapper and Gap, Foot Locker and others said they would nary longer transportation his products aft his antisemitic tweet successful October. Major Hollywood endowment agency CAA dropped him arsenic a client, arsenic well. Three weeks earlier his "death con 3" tweet, West sparked contention — and praise from immoderate conservatives — for showing a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt astatine Paris Fashion Week.

The "silence is complicity" portion of Biden's tweet is an evident disapproval of Trump and different salient Republicans. Trump has not yet condemned the men who helium had meal with astatine Mar-a-Lago, and helium claimed not to cognize who the achromatic nationalist Fuentes was.

Republicans including erstwhile New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and erstwhile Vice President Mike Pence condemned Trump's dinner. Others, including erstwhile Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, denounced antisemitism without mentioning Trump's meeting.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who is looking to beryllium the adjacent House speaker, said Tuesday helium does not deliberation anyone should walk clip with Fuentes and that helium "has nary spot successful the Republican Party." McCarthy added: "Well, I condemn his ideology. It has nary spot successful society. At all."

But astir Republicans person avoided criticizing the meal astatine all. PBS News asked 57 existent Republican lawmakers to condemn the gathering and the bulk did not respond. Those who person denounced it, similar McCarthy, person focused their ire connected Fuentes alternatively than Trump.

Sen. Marco Rubio R-Fla., told Politico helium hopes Trump volition condemn Fuentes "because I cognize [Trump's] not an antisemite. I tin archer you that for a information that Trump is not, but [Fuentes is] evil ... conscionable a nasty disgusting person. He's an a-- clown, and he's trying to legitimize himself by being astir a former, possibly aboriginal president."

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Politico helium wouldn't dine with Fuentes. But helium added that "it's a escaped country, [Trump] tin bash immoderate helium wants."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seen arsenic a apt 2024 challenger to Trump, has notably remained soundless connected the gathering that took spot successful his location state.