Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro denied on Monday that antisemitism played a role in his not becoming the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee, as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has charged.
Shapiro said Trump was the “least credible person” when it came to standing up against hatred and bigotry, in comments quoted by NBC News.
“He’s trying to use me and he’s trying to use other Jews to divide Americans further,” Shapiro said.
He then clarified, “Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president. Absolutely none. It is also true that antisemitism is present in our commonwealth, in our country and in some areas within our party, and we have to stand up and speak out against that.”
Shapiro, who is Jewish, was a finalist to become Vice President Kamala Harris’ vice presidential pick, but she ultimately chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Trump has several times since insisted that Harris did not pick Shapiro, whom he said would have been a stronger choice than Walz, as her running mate because of his Jewish heritage.
“I have very little doubt … it was because of the fact that he’s Jewish, and they think they’re going to offend somebody else,” Trump told Fox News earlier this month.
Trump made similar comments during a speech in Pennsylvania, Shapiro’s home state, over the weekend.
”They turned him down because he’s Jewish,” Trump said, adding "There has never been a more dangerous time since the Holocaust."
Trump spoke out against Jewish people who vote for Democrats, saying, “Any Jewish person that votes for [Harris] or a Democrat has to go out and have their head examined.”