Rick Wiles, Florida pastor and founder of far-right website TruNews, said on March 26 that God is giving the Jews the coronavirus because they oppose “his son Jesus.”
According to Right Wing Watch, Wiles was discussing how Israel is shutting down synagogues as part of the government’s lockdown efforts to combat COVID-19. He said people should stay away from synagogues.
“God is spreading it in your synagogues,” Wiles said. “You are under judgment because you oppose his son, Jesus Christ. That is why you have a plague in your synagogues. Repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and the plague will stop.”
He also said God is “dealing with false religions.”
Rick Wiles says that God is spreading the coronavirus in synagogues because he is "dealing with those who oppose his son, Jesus Christ." https://t.co/2oNuRyqaqC pic.twitter.com/mTt3YdEuRs
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) March 26, 2020
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted, “As #antisemite Rick Wiles and his “news outlet” TruNews show us once again, hatemongers will try to spread their vitriol even when they’re stuck at home. That’s why we must keep #FightingHateFromHome.”
As #antisemite Rick Wiles and his “news outlet” TruNews show us once again, hatemongers will try to spread their vitriol even when they're stuck at home. That’s why we must keep #FightingHateFromHome.
More on Wiles' history of bigotry: https://t.co/Ci4OuGsVFW https://t.co/qrdpgSQtpR— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) March 26, 2020
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who founded the Americans Against Anti-Semitism watchdog tweeted to President Donald Trump, “I know you’re busy with the coronavirus. But please do not let the virulent anti-Semitism virus spread so far that it reaches inside the White House! It’s high time to revoke the press credentials of ‘TruNews’ run by the vile Rick Wiles!”
Dear Mr. President @realDonaldTrump,
I know you’re busy with the coronavirus. But please do not let the virulent antisemitism virus spread so far that it reaches inside the White House!
It’s high time to revoke the press credentials of “TruNews” run by the vile Rick Wiles!
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) March 26, 2020
In January, Wiles claimed TruNews received a White House press credential to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. The White House declined to provide a comment on the record to the Journal at the time.
A clip of Wiles went viral in November of him saying Trump’s impeachment was due to a “Jew coup.” In February, YouTube removed TruNews from its platform.
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