'Bringing the full arsenal': Trump admin. to launch antisemitism campaign in 15 cities - interview

The Trump administration is preparing to launch a nationwide campaign against antisemitism, sending senior Justice Department officials to 15 cities it says have failed to protect Jewish communities. Leo Terrell, chairman of the DOJ's Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, told The Jerusalem Post the initiative was approved by President Trump and will begin in early September, running 60-90 days. The tour aims to educate Jewish communities about their rights and highlight local failures to enforce hate crime laws. Terrell cited New York and Los Angeles as examples, accusing local prosecutors and mayors of not prosecuting hate crimes. He also accused teachers' unions in LA, Boston, and Philadelphia of contributing to anti-Jewish indoctrination in schools. The campaign includes a media strategy to counter antisemitic content online.

The Trump administration is preparing to launch a nationwide campaign against antisemitism, sending senior Justice Department officials to 15 cities that it says have failed to adequately protect their Jewish communities. Leo Terrell, chairman of the Justice Department's Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and a senior counsel at the department, told The Jerusalem Post that the initiative had been approved by US President Donald Trump and Justice Department leadership. The campaign is expected to begin in early September and run for 60 to 90 days. The effort marks an expansion of the administration's campaign against antisemitism beyond college campuses and into local communities, where Jewish Americans have reported rising threats and hate crimes since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, according to Terrell. Rather than simply meeting with local officials, the federal government intends to bring an interagency team directly into affected communities. Terrell said he is bringing the Department of Labor, the FBI, and other resources. The goal is twofold: to educate Jewish communities about their legal rights and publicly highlight what he described as failures by local governments to enforce hate crime laws. Terrell pointed to New York and Los Angeles as examples of jurisdictions where he believes local officials have not done enough to prosecute antisemitic crimes. He also accused teachers' unions in Los Angeles, Boston, and Philadelphia of contributing to anti-Jewish indoctrination in K-12 schools. The campaign will include an extensive media strategy to counter antisemitic content online. During a speech on Sunday, Terrell raised the issue of the 'Jewish tax,' the financial burden many Jewish institutions face in securing their own protection, arguing that local governments have the obligation to protect synagogues, schools, and communal events.