The Nexus Project Newsletter

From George Soros conspiracy theories about corporate AI systems quietly redrawing the boundaries of debate, the fight against antisemitism is being reshaped on multiple fronts. Add to that coordinated campaigns targeting individual students and Trump’s rhetoric weaponizing antisemitic tropes, and it is clear: we are living in a moment where emerging technologies and old hatreds collide.

Clarity matters more than ever. Nexus is here not only to shine a light on these threats but also to illuminate a path forward that protects both Jewish safety and our democracy.

Understanding Antisemitism

AI Is Not Neutral: The Danger of Letting Corporations Define Antisemitism

Our second article in the series on AI and antisemitism asks: who decides what counts as antisemitism when millions turn to AI for answers? AI platforms are not neutral tools. They are owned by corporations with their own track records, from Elon Musk amplifying antisemitic conspiracy theories to companies optimizing for controversy.

This is not hypothetical. After Musk announced he was making Grok less “woke,” the system began posting antisemitic content, even praising Hitler and calling itself “MechaHitler.” Dangerous definitions shifted overnight. Although the company issued an apology noting the behavior stemmed from a flawed update and deprecated code, the incident underscores how rapidly AI systems can produce harmful outputs as well as how little accountability there often is when they do.

The danger is not just dangerous answers; it is the seductive authority of AI’s clean, confident responses. They feel objective but are in fact de facto editorial judgments stripped of accountability. What was once defined by Jewish communities through collective memory and vigilance is being replaced by algorithms often serving corporate priorities.

Soros and Antisemitism: Old Tropes in New Form

Nexus Fellow Emily Tamkin’s latest piece in the Forward shows how Trump’s attack on George Soros repeats one of the deadliest antisemitic tropes: the idea of a single Jew manipulating world events. His claim that Soros and his son should face racketeering charges is not just political rhetoric. It recycles conspiracies that have fueled real violence.

Tamkin connects the dots. In 2018, Trump suggested Soros was behind a migrant caravan just days before the Tree of Life synagogue massacre. That shooter cited the very conspiracy Trump had echoed. What looks like a political jab is in fact a dangerous mainstreaming of antisemitic narratives, with consequences that extend far beyond Soros himself.

Antisemitism in the News

Trump’s Antisemitic Tropes Continue

Trump recently called Senator Chuck Schumer “our great Palestinian senator,” a remark that is both racist and antisemitic. He used “Palestinian” as a slur while invoking the dual-loyalty trope against the highest-ranking Jewish official in government.

Coming alongside his attacks on George Soros, this shows how Trump shifts fluidly between antisemitic conspiracy theories and anti-Palestinian racism. The through line is clear: identity itself becomes a weapon, leaving both Jews and Palestinians more vulnerable.

Baltimore Families Push Back on ADL’s Complaint

In Baltimore, Jewish families are challenging the ADL’s sweeping civil rights complaint against city schools. Their letter does not deny antisemitism. They acknowledge incidents ranging from Nazi salutes to slurs. But they warn that adopting the ADL’s framework, especially the IHRA definition, risks chilling free speech and conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

As one parent put it: “If Israel is immune to criticism, you are not combating antisemitism but creating conditions for it to grow.” This dispute highlights the deeper tension between whether definitions serve Jewish interests or political agendas.

Nexus in the News

David N. Myers, in the LA Times: Nexus Task Force member and UCLA professor of Jewish history, co-authored a piece calling Trump’s one billion dollar demand from UCLA “a dangerous charade.” Myers wrote: “What this destructive path will not do is make the campus safer for Jews or anyone else.” His intervention highlights how manufactured battles over “antisemitism” weaken higher education without protecting Jewish students.

Kevin Rachlin in the SF Chronicle: Our Washington Director underscored that Project Esther represents the systematization of existing doxxing campaigns. “Project Esther is actually stealing from those groups. They were doing these doxxing campaigns first,” he told the Chronicle, providing crucial context about how harassment tactics are being scaled and legitimized.

Support Nexus

This is what we do: track real antisemitism, call out when it’s weaponized, and make clear the difference. If you’d like to support this work, please reach out to us. We’d love to connect.

We’ll continue offering clear responses, frameworks, and resources as these stories develop.