US President Donald Trump said Sunday that people celebrating Hanukkah should not be worried about their safety, and should “celebrate proudly,” following the terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in Sydney, Australia.
Trump made the remarks in a conversation with Peter Doocy of Fox News, who had asked the President whether Americans observing Hanukkah should be worried about their security.
“Straight from the president, his message to people celebrating Hanukkah today, he said, ‘they do not need to be worried. They should celebrate proudly, and they should be proud of who you are, celebrate proudly,’” Doocy said.
Speaking later at a White House Christmas reception, Trump commented on the Sydney attack and said “that was an antisemitic attack, obviously.”
He also said he had “great respect” for the man who tackled one of the attackers in Australia, calling him a “a very, very brave person.”
“We’re here to celebrate Christmas and … I think today, we can first say, loudly, we celebrate Hanukkah because that was such a horrible attack, that was a purely antisemitic attack,” said Trump.