Trump Suggests Jewish Center Bomb Threats May Be Staged To 'Make People Look Bad'

President Trump suggested on Tuesday that the recent spate of anti-Semitic bomb threats and cemetery vandalism could be politically coordinated attacks to “make people look bad” — an apparent suggestion that his opponents could be behind them.

Speaking at the White House to attorneys general from around the country, Mr. Trump was asked by Josh Shapiro, the attorney general of Pennsylvania, about the wave of attacks and how the federal government could work with state governments to confront the violence.

“First, he said the acts were reprehensible,” Mr. Shapiro, a Democrat who was elected to the post in November, said while recounting Mr. Trump’s response. “Second he said: ‘And you’ve got to be careful, it could be the reverse. This could be the reverse, trying to make people look bad.’ ”

The comments echoed the Twitter post of an adviser, Anthony Scaramucci, who suggested that Democrats were behind threats to Jewish community centers.

It's not yet clear who the #JCC offenders are. Don't forget @TheDemocrats effort to incite violence at Trump rallies https://t.co/uTBFGhI0Kh

— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) February 28, 2017

...Democrats condemned Mr. Trump’s remarks on Tuesday and called for an apology.

“For millennia, Jews have not only endured unthinkable violence, but the subsequent denial of that violence,” said Eric Walker, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. “For the president of the United States to insinuate that threats to Jewish community centers are illegitimate is truly beyond the pale.”

The Anti-Defamation League, which combats anti-Semitism, said it was “astonished” by Mr. Trump’s sentiments and called on him to clarify his remarks.