Former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu confronted CNN panelists and Democratic commentators Monday night over what he described as a clear pattern of antisemitism from Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
His remarks came during a discussion on CNN NewsNight that focused on the wave of pro-Hamas protests on college campuses following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack in Israel.
Since the attack by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, protests have taken place at multiple colleges and universities across the United States.
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Demonstrators have been accused of blocking Jewish students from certain parts of campus, occupying buildings, and chanting slogans perceived as calls for the destruction of the state of Israel.
During the panel, Sununu pushed back when Democratic strategist Maria Cardona attempted to frame the rise in antisemitism as a trend dating back to the Trump administration.
“You guys are barely scratching the surface here. This isn’t just about we need more Democrats to condemn what’s happening. How about let’s get Democrats not joining in on it? How about AOC and Rep. Omar don’t join those college campuses?” Sununu said, referring to Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Ilhan Omar.
“And this hasn’t been going on for 10 years. It’s been going on for 18 months. And it starts on the college campuses. It empowers people to go beyond. And it has nothing to do with Donald Trump.”
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Sununu’s remarks came amid reports that Rep. Omar’s daughter was suspended from Barnard College for her involvement in one of the pro-Palestinian encampments that had been dismantled by authorities.
CNN anchor Abby Phillip attempted to push back on Sununu’s statements, questioning whether simply attending a protest was equivalent to making antisemitic remarks.
“I want to be more — a little bit more specific about what we’re talking about here,” Phillip began.
“Because I definitely think, to the congressman’s point, there are specific things that are being said on these campuses that are anti-Semitic. But the idea that AOC and, I mean, I don’t know, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar are engaging in those activities. I’m not sure —”
Sununu cut in. “They showed up on those campuses. They showed up to the campuses. They were there on those campuses speaking out.”
Rep. Omar has long faced criticism over her past statements about Israel. In 2012, she tweeted that “Israel has hypnotized the world,” a post that was later deleted.
In February 2023, the House of Representatives voted 218-211 to remove Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, citing her history of controversial comments.
Later that year, she was one of only 13 Democrats to vote against a House resolution condemning antisemitism.
Phillip later asked Sununu if protesting U.S. policy in Gaza was inherently antisemitic.
“But here’s what I’m saying. But do you understand what I’m saying? If they show up on college campuses to protest, you know, the situation in Gaza, is that, are you saying, automatically the same thing as uttering anti-Semitic words?”
Sununu responded firmly: “Yes, they’re anti-Semitic. Make no mistake about it. Their words are absolutely anti — and this is all based in anti-Semitism.”
As the discussion continued, Sununu offered to list specific comments from Omar’s past but was interrupted by Phillip, who tried to distinguish between protesting policy and making antisemitic statements.
“The history of Ilhan Omar is very clear,” Sununu said.
“She’s been very explicit.”
The CNN segment adds to growing scrutiny of Democratic lawmakers who have participated in or shown support for recent campus protests that many critics say have crossed the line into antisemitism.
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