Corey Lewandowski defends Donald Trump's controversial star tweet, points out he has 'Jewish friends'
In his new post as a CNN political commentator, one-time Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski argued Tuesday that there is no way Trump's controversial star tweet is anti-Semitic because both Trump and his social media director Dan Scavino have "Jewish friends." "You're spending more time on a star created by an individual who has Jewish friends, who's close friends with Ivanka Trump, who's close friends with Jared Kushner, who are both Jewish, who have been part of the Trump family organization for over 10 years, and all of a sudden he is being accused of something which didn't happen," Lewandowski said on CNN's New Day.
The tweet in question, which has since been deleted, featured Hillary Clinton alongside what appeared to be a Star of David with the words "Most corrupt candidate ever" written inside of it. Trump has said the six-pointed star could just be a "Sheriff's star, or plain star" and Scavino has clarified that the image was "lifted from an anti-Hillary" Twitter account.
Lewandowski said that these defenses, along with Scavino's friendships, indicate there isn't "any malice there." "Why don't you give him credit to say that he simply took an image and put it on there and there's no anti-Semitism?," Lewandowski said of Scavino.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Watch Lewandowski's full defense of the tweet, below. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Political cartoons for November 15Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include cowardly congressmen, a Macy's parade monster, and more
-
Massacre in the favela: Rio’s police take on the gangsIn the Spotlight The ‘defence operation’ killed 132 suspected gang members, but could spark ‘more hatred and revenge’
-
The John Lewis ad: touching, or just weird?Talking Point This year’s festive offering is full of 1990s nostalgia – but are hedonistic raves really the spirit of Christmas?
-
Trump DOJ sues to block California redistrictingSpeed Read California’s new congressional map was drawn by Democrats to flip Republican-held House seats
-
GOP retreats from shutdown deal payout provisionSpeed Read Senators are distancing themselves from a controversial provision in the new government funding package
-
Catholic bishops rebuke Trump on immigrationSpeed Read ‘We feel compelled’ to ‘raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity,’ the bishops said
-
House releases Epstein emails referencing TrumpSpeed Read The emails suggest Trump knew more about Epstein’s sex trafficking of underage women than he has claimed
-
Newsom slams Trump’s climate denial at COP30speed read Trump, who has called climate change a ‘hoax,’ declined to send any officials to this week’s summit
-
UK, Colombia halt intel to US over boat attacksSpeed Read Both countries have suspended intelligence sharing with the US over the bombing of civilian boats suspected of drug smuggling
-
Trump pardons 2020 fake electors, other GOP alliesSpeed Read The president pardoned Rudy Giuliani and more who tried to overturn his 2020 election loss
-
Supreme Court to decide on mail-in ballot limitsSpeed Read The court will determine whether states can count mail-in ballots received after Election Day