Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie has attributed the recent surge in antisemitism in the United States to what he describes as former President Donald Trump’s “intolerant” rhetoric. “When you show intolerance towards everyone, which is what he does, you give permission as a leader for others to have their intolerance come out,” Christie said on CNN’s State of the Union program, directly linking Trump’s behavior to the rising tide of antisemitism. He emphasized that such intolerance isn’t just limited to Trump but extends to other influential figures, including university professors and administrators who have failed to adequately confront antisemitism on their campuses. The issue has gained prominence following the October 7th surprise attack by Hamas on Israel’s southern border, which was followed by a noticeable increase in both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the U.S. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a staggering 388 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the two weeks following the attack, compared to the same period in the previous year. This rise in antisemitism has been particularly pronounced on college campuses across the country. One alarming incident occurred at Cornell University, where the kosher dining hall was temporarily closed after a student posted death threats online against members of the Jewish community. Christie expressed his concern over the safety of Jewish students on campuses, saying, “[T]here should be no campus in this country where a Jewish student is afraid to leave their dorm, a Jewish student is afraid to go to their classes, a Jewish student is afraid to go to even have a meal in the dining hall. I mean, that is outrageous and it’s wrong.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)