By Chris Menahan – Information Liberation
President Trump on Thursday announced he was nominating Israeli-born Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi Yehuda Kaploun as US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
“I am proud to nominate Yehuda Kaploun as the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ambassador-at-Large,” Trump said on Truth Social. “Yehuda is a successful businessman, and staunch advocate for the Jewish Faith and the Rights of his people to live and worship free from persecution. With Anti-Semitism dangerously on the rise, Yehuda will be the strongest Representative for Americans and Jews across the Globe, and promote PEACE. Congratulations Yehuda!”
“Kaploun, a prominent Miami-based businessman and longtime confidant of Trump, served as his Jewish outreach chief on Trump’s vision for US-Israel relations after the 2024 election victory,” the Jerusalem Post reports. “Kaploun was born to a Chabad-Lubavitch family in Kfar Chabad, near Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport.”
Kaploun “initially got connected to Trump through Miriam and Sheldon Adelson,” according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
“If confirmed, Kaploun would join an administration that has cited antisemitism in rolling out a range of new policies, including around canceling the visas of students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, freezing federal funding to colleges and universities and monitoring the social media feeds of immigrants,” JTA noted.
“Trump’s announcement elicited a wave of sharply antisemitic comments on [Truth Social],” JTA reported:
“No one believes Anti-Semitism is an issue but the Zionists. I will criticize our Greatest Enemy when ever I want,” wrote one commenter.
Said another: “Combat anti-semitism? Don’t people have the Constitutional right to like and hate who they like? What kind of name is Yehuda anyhow? Doesn’t sound American to me.”
The Jerusalem Post interviewed Kaploun while he was in Israel last year:
To help Trump make inroads with Jewish voters, Kaploun organized an event at Trump’s Bedminster golf course, co-hosted with philanthropist Miriam Adelson. […]
“It was unprecedented,” Kaploun said. “We had everyone in the room. It wasn’t about politics – it was about fighting antisemitism and building bridges.”
[…] “Miriam and I worked closely with Trump’s team to ensure the message resonated,” Kaploun said. […]“He spoke for 45 minutes, focusing entirely on antisemitism,” Kaploun said. “It wasn’t a campaign rally – it was a call to action.”
Miriam Adelson’s role
Kaploun credits Adelson as a driving force in these efforts. “Miriam has been instrumental in strengthening Trump’s connection to the Jewish community,” he said. “She shares his vision for combating antisemitism and ensuring the safety of Jews worldwide.”
Adelson, a longtime supporter of Trump and Israel, worked closely with Kaploun to craft these events. “Her insight and influence were invaluable,” Kaploun said. “She’s not just a philanthropist; she’s a strategist and an advocate for the Jewish people.”
This was the same event where Trump pledged to restore the power of the Israel Lobby over Congress.
“You’re gonna end up winning because you’re going to have the president, okay?” Trump told the Jewish group.
Deborah Lipstadt previously served as Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism under President Biden. Lipstadt used her bully pulpit to lobby for more censorship to suppress criticism of Jews and Israel.