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The Democrats’ Looming Chicago Disaster?
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks before participating in a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House in Washington, U.S., May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger
JNS.org – For American Jews, President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will no longer seek reelection is less significant than it appears at first sight. The president’s seesawing between support for and bitter opposition to Israel, between condemnation of antisemitism and enabling it through silence, was partly a result of his cognitive breakdown, but it also reflected a moral degeneration at the heart of the Democratic Party.
That degeneration is a simple one: In the form of the Red-Green Alliance between progressive leftists and Muslim antisemites, the Democratic Party now contains a large and powerful faction that is not just antisemitic but predicated on antisemitism. The question is not if but when the Alliance will make its bid to conquer and colonize the entire party.
The Alliance has made considerable progress towards this end. From the activist industry to the mandarins of academia, the various organs of the American left have enthusiastically joined in the Alliance’s campaign of protester-terrorism. With some honorable exceptions, prominent Democrats—including Biden—have issued at best tepid condemnations. Other Democrats, such as Biden’s heir-presumptive Vice President Kamala Harris, have engaged in craven apologetics on the Alliance’s behalf.
The only conclusion to be drawn from this deplorable spectacle is that the Democrats may not be an antisemitic party, but neither are they an anti-antisemitic party. At best, they are “non-antisemitic.” That is, they take no stand on whether antisemitism is good or bad, desirable or undesirable.
This is, of course, morally bankrupt, but it is not surprising. To oppose antisemitism in a serious way, the Democrats would have to purge a large faction of their party, risk losing millions of votes and instantly become targets of protester-terrorism if not worse. Not being particularly courageous people, the Democrats are utterly unwilling to do this.
For American Jews, then, the question must be: What happens now?
It is not a pretty picture. While Biden has been an unreliable ally, Harris is worse than unreliable. She has expressed sympathy for the Red-Green Alliance and its protester-terrorists. It has been reported that she is one of the more prominent supporters of the Palestinians in the White House. Should she become the nominee—as now seems inevitable—and possibly the president, she could well take the side of the antisemites, if only by default.
This has ominous implications because the Democratic National Convention is only a month away. Put simply, a disaster may be brewing in Chicago.
While Harris will almost certainly have the nomination sewn up before the convention begins, the possibilities for chaos are immense. Put simply, the entire infrastructure of the Democratic Party is badly compromised by leftist and Muslim entryists, none of whom have the slightest compunction about using “any means necessary” to get what they want. Moreover, massive pro-Hamas riots outside the convention are already planned and, given that Chicago has an ultra-progressive mayor, it is unlikely that anything will be done to control them.
Thus, with agents both inside and outside the convention, the Democrats’ antisemitic wing could well seize control of the event or, if not, take satisfaction in causing general bloody mayhem. Violence may break out both inside and outside the venue, with Jews and pro-Israel politicians and delegates harassed, intimidated and assaulted both on the convention floor and the streets outside. A full-scale antisemitic riot is not impossible.
As a result, in order to bring back some semblance of peace and order to the proceedings, the already defeatist “non-antisemitic” Democrats may capitulate entirely to their antisemitic wing.
This is by no means guaranteed to happen. The party establishment, though already badly compromised, may keep control over the proceedings and Harris may be anointed with relatively little fuss.
For American Jews, however, this would be cold comfort indeed. Even in the absence of outright violence, Harris may capitulate to the antisemitic wing out of simple affinity. This would be little better than a hijacked convention. The Red-Green Alliance will declare victory, double down on its protester-terrorism, take to the streets and campuses once again, and possibly escalate its war against the American Jewish community to the point of outright terrorist attacks. With Harris as the party’s leader, no effective action will be taken to stop this descent into pogromism.
Again, there is no guarantee this will actually happen. Harris may attempt to hew a moderate line in preparation for the general election. The non-antisemitic wing of the party may do the math and decide they cannot risk losing the Jewish vote, especially in swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania, where Biden was running behind by increasing margins. Sanity may prevail.
There is reason to believe that this may be the most likely outcome. While polls of the Jewish vote have been suspiciously absent of late, The Washington Free Beacon recently reported that Republican Jewish Coalition “executive director Matt Brooks said the Republican Party has seen increased support from Jewish voters in swing states, and he expects the GOP to continue to ‘make inroads and build’ among this constituency.”
This is anecdotal evidence, of course, but it suggests that private polls are indicating a not insignificant shift in the Jewish vote, at least in areas outside the traditional Democratic strongholds in the Northeast. This is bound to give the non-antisemitic wing of the party some pause. If they choose to capitulate to the antisemites anyway, it could well swing the election to Trump.
This would be painfully ironic. It would mean that, even if the Democrats avoid antisemitic carnage at their convention, they have already permitted sufficient carnage to bring about their political suicide. They thought they would have the Jews to kick around forever. The Jews may be about to disabuse them of that notion. If so, the Democrats will have no one to blame but themselves.
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Antisemitism at Northwestern University Still a Problem, New Poll Finds
Demonstrators rally at a pro-Hamas encampment at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. on April 28, 2024. Photo: Max Herman/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect.
Jewish students at Northwestern University in Illinois continue to report experiencing antisemitism at alarming rates despite the school’s insistence that the campus climate has improved since pro-Hamas demonstrations held during the 2023-2024 academic year triggered a cascade of antisemitic incidents.
According to a new Spring Campus Poll conducted by The Daily Northwestern, the school’s official campus newspaper, 58 percent of Jewish students reported being subjected to antisemitism or knowing someone who has. An even higher 63.1 percent said antisemitism remains a “somewhat or very serious problem.”
Northwestern University, however, has claimed that antisemitic discrimination on campus is decreasing. Last month, it touted its progress in addressing the issue, publishing a “Progress Report on Northwestern University Efforts to Combat Antisemitism” which enumerated a checklist of policies school officials have enacted since being censured by federal lawmakers over their allegedly insufficient handling of antisemitic, pro-Hamas demonstrations and occupations of campus property in April 2024. Most notably, the document boasted an 88 percent decrease in antisemitic incidents from November 2023 to November 2024.
The so-called progress report was released just over three weeks after US President Donald Trump began confiscating taxpayer funded research grants and contracts previously awarded to elite universities deemed as soft on antisemitism or excessively “woke.”
On Monday, the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), a coalition of hundreds of organizations that fight anti-Jewish bigotry around the world, charged that the claims in the report now ring false.
“Yes, the university has reformed policies, implemented trainings, and adopted new definitions. It has pledged transparency and accountability — and some of those measures are meaningful,” the group said in a statement, citing the university’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and enactment of other policies supported by the Jewish community. “But the reality remains: Jewish students continue to feel unsafe, and a majority still see antisemitism as a serious, unresolved issue.”
It continued, “If Northwestern is truly committed to confronting antisemitism, its actions must go beyond compliance. Policies must be enforced. Commitments must be honored in practice. And Jewish students must be seen, heard, and protected. What defines institutional credibility isn’t stated intentions — it’s whether students feel safe. And right now, they don’t.”
In a statement shared with The Algemeiner on Tuesday, Northwestern University maintained that it has made immense progress toward improving campus life for Jewish students, citing as evidence the 88 percent reduction in antisemitic incidents.
“We believe this significant decrease in antisemitic incidents is directly attributable to the strength of our updated policies that were implemented at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year,” said Jon Yates, the university’s vice president of global marketing and communications. “These included revisions to our code of conduct with clear policies and procedures governing the type of actions that are prohibited and the consequences for anyone who engage in them.”
He added, “We remain confident that the measures we have implemented are working as intended and are continuing to adjust and refine our approach as necessary to ensure that our campuses are a safe and welcoming place for all.”
In April, the Trump administration expressed its skepticism of a quick turnaround at Northwestern, impounding $790 million of its federal funds.
Critics of Northwestern’s approach to rampant pro-Hamas and anti-Israel demonstrations have noted that the university’s president, Michael Schill, acceded to protesters’ demands that he establish a scholarship for Palestinian undergraduates, contact potential employers of students who caused campus disruptions to insist on their being hired, create a segregated dormitory hall that will be occupied exclusively by students of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) and Muslim descent, and form a new advisory committee in which anti-Zionists students and faculty may wield an outsized voice.
“As of this writing, we have received 98 stop-word orders, mostly for Department of Defense-funded research projects, in addition to 51 grant terminations that were mostly received prior to the news of the funding freeze. In addition, we have not received payments for National Institutes of Health grants since March. These now appear to be frozen,” Schill said in a May 1 statement addressing the government’s funding cuts. “This is deeply troubling, and we are working in many ways to advocate on behalf of the university and to resolve the situation.”
The antisemitic incidents that Northwestern University continues to see have not lost their shock value.
In April, during the Jewish holiday of Passover, someone graffitied Kregse Hall and University Hall with hateful speech calling for “Death to Israel” and an “Intifada,” alluding to two prolonged periods of Palestinian terrorism during which hundreds of Israeli Jews were murdered. The vandals also spray-painted an inverted triangle, a symbol used to express support for the terrorist group Hamas and its atrocities.
“Antisemitic acts cannot and will not be tolerated at Northwestern, nor will vandalism or other violations of our polices on displays, demonstrations, or conduct,” Schill said following the incident. “We are working systematically and utilizing camera footage, forensics, and other methods to identify the individuals responsible for this vandalism. If these individuals are current Northwestern students, they will be immediately suspended and face full disciplinary proceedings under university policies, as well as criminal charges under the law.”
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
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Top US Senate Democrat to Block Trump DOJ Nominees Over Qatar Airplane
The motorcade of US President Donald Trump is parked next to a 12-year-old Qatari-owned Boeing 747-8 that Trump was touring in West Palm Beach, Florida, US, Feb. 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday vowed to block all of President Donald Trump‘s nominees to the Justice Department until the agency reports what it knows about Qatar‘s offer to give Trump‘s administration a $400 million airplane.
Trump said on Monday that it would be “stupid” for him to refuse Qatar‘s offer of the Boeing 747-8 airplane, which would be used as US “Air Force One,” the jet American presidents use to fly around the globe.
The aircraft eventually would be donated to Trump‘s presidential library.
Schumer, referring to reports that US Attorney General Pam Bondi had signed off on the deal for the plane, called it “a blatantly inept decision.”
“The attorney general must testify before both the House and Senate to explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the emoluments clause [of the US Constitution], which requires congressional approval,” he said in a speech to the Senate.
The Defense Department is already in the process of procuring a replacement for the current, aging Air Force One, with delivery by Boeing expected within a couple years.
Schumer said he wants answers to whether the Qatari government will pay for modifications of the aircraft needed to protect the president, secure communications and provide special configurations for what is in practice an airborne Oval Office workspace.
If the US government would have to bear those costs, Schumer said, “why are American taxpayers being asked to spend hundreds of millions of dollars or more on a plane that will only be used for year or two?”
A White House spokesperson on Monday said details of the gift were still being arranged.
Outside ethics experts have listed a range of Trump activities that could point to the president using his office to enrich himself or his family. Schumer specifically mentioned a $TRUMP meme coin, plans for a new Trump hotel in Dubai, and a new golf course in Qatar.
Currently, three Trump Justice Department nominees are before the Senate: an assistant attorney general for Maryland and two in Virginia.
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Trump Secures $600 Billion Saudi Investment Pledge on Gulf Tour
US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman shake hands during a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
US President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States after the oil power accorded him a gala welcome at the start of a tour of Gulf states.
Trump punched the air as he emerged from Air Force One to be greeted by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who later signed an agreement with the president in Riyadh on energy, defense, mining, and other areas.
The US agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion, according to a White House fact sheet that called it “the largest defense cooperation agreement” Washington has ever done.
The agreement covers deals with more than a dozen US defense companies in areas including air and missile defense, air force and space advancement, maritime security and communications, the fact sheet said.
“Today we hope for investment opportunities worth $600 billion, including deals worth $300 billion that were signed during this forum,” the Saudi crown prince said in a speech during a US-Saudi Investment Forum session held in Riyadh on the occasion of Trump‘s visit.
“We will work in the coming months on the second phase to complete deals and raise it to $1 trillion,” he said.
Saudi Arabia is one of the largest customers for US arms.
Reuters reported in April the US was poised to offer the kingdom an arms package worth well over $100 billion.
“I really believe we like each other a lot,” Trump said during a meeting with the crown prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler.
The US and Saudi Arabia had discussed Riyadh’s potential purchase of Lockheed F-35 jets, two sources briefed on discussions told Reuters, referring to a military aircraft that the kingdom is long thought to have been interested in.
It was not immediately clear whether those aircraft were covered in the deal announced on Tuesday.
Trump, who was accompanied by US business leaders including billionaire Elon Musk, will go on from Riyadh to Qatar on Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
He has not scheduled a stop in Israel, a decision that has raised questions about where the close ally stands in Washington’s priorities, and the focus of the trip is on investment rather than security matters in the Middle East.
“While energy remains a cornerstone of our relationship, the investments and business opportunities in the kingdom have expanded and multiplied many, many times over,” Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih told the investment forum.
“As a result … when Saudis and Americans join forces very good things happen, more often than not great things happen when those joint ventures happen,” he said before Trump‘s arrival.
Trump told the investment forum that relations with Saudi Arabia will be even stronger.
He was shown speaking with Riyadh’s sovereign wealth fund governor Yaser al-Rumayyan, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, and Falih as he toured a hall that showed off models for the kingdom’s flashy, multi-billion-dollar development projects.
Trump called the Saudi crown prince a friend and said they have a good relationship, according to a pool report from the Wall Street Journal, adding that Saudi investment would help create jobs in the US.
BIG INVESTMENTS
Business leaders at the investment forum included Larry Fink, the CEO of asset management firm BlackRock; Stephen A. Schwartzman, CEO of asset manager Blackstone; and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Musk chatted briefly with both Trump and the crown prince, who is otherwise known as MbS, during a palace reception for the US president. And joining Trump for a lunch with MbS were top US businessmen including Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX chief, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
MbS has focused on diversifying the Saudi economy in a major reform programme dubbed Vision 2030 that includes “Giga-projects” such as NEOM, a futuristic city the size of Belgium. Oil generated 62 percent of Saudi government revenue last year.
The kingdom has scaled back some of its ambitions as rising costs and falling oil prices weigh.
Saudi Arabia and the US have maintained strong ties for decades based on an ironclad arrangement in which the kingdom delivers oil and the superpower provides security in exchange.
Trump left Israel off his schedule although he wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a new ceasefire deal in the 19-month-old Gaza war.
Israel’s military operations against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and its assassinations of the two Iran-backed terrorist groups’ leaders, have at the same time given Trump more leverage by weakening Tehran and its regional allies.
US and Iranian negotiators met in Oman at the weekend to discuss a potential deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump has threatened military action against Iran if diplomacy fails.
Trump told the investment forum he wants to offer Iran a new and better path toward a more helpful future. If no new nuclear deal is reached, he said, Tehran will face maximum pressure.
Trump‘s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said last week he expected progress imminently on expanding accords brokered by Trump in his 2017-21 first term under which Arab states including the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco recognized Israel.
Trump said it was his “fervent hope” that Saudi Arabia would soon sign its own normalization agreement with Israel, adding, “But you’ll do it in your own time.”
Still, Netanyahu’s opposition to a permanent stop to the war in Gaza or to the creation of a Palestinian state makes progress on similar talks with the Saudis unlikely, sources told Reuters.
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