The Nexus Project Newsletter

The Justice Department is investigating the Open Society Foundation, George and Alex Soros’s foundation for alleged ties to “terrorism.” Vice President Vance used the term “blood libel” to attack political opponents. And a new report from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs shows Elon Musk’s X is profiting from antisemitism.

All of these are part of the ongoing pattern we at Nexus have been mapping: the Trump administration and its allies are not only weaponizing accusations of antisemitism. They are engaging in antisemitism. And using it to break down democracy.

This often flies under the radar, and it’s why Nexus is here. We cannot allow a repeat of history, where antisemitism becomes the tool by which leaders attempt to destroy democracy.

Understanding Antisemitism

Study Confirms X as the Primary Platform for Antisemitism

A year-long study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate and our friends at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs confirms that X has become the most active and visible engine of antisemitism online.

Over 679,000 antisemitic posts were identified

These posts were viewed over 193 million times

Only 1 percent received community notes

Verified users spreading hate were able to profit from subscriptions

Many of the most-viewed posts were Holocaust denial or classic conspiracy theories about Jewish control. X allowed them to remain. Some accounts were even promoted through its algorithm.

We’ve been tracking this pattern for over a year. The rise of antisemitism on X is no accident. Elon Musk has personally engaged in antisemitic rhetoric, reinstated white supremacist accounts, and helped turn the platform into a megaphone for hate. That’s why our work doesn’t stop at exposing this violence: we also focus on reaching the millions being shaped by this propaganda every day.

Defining Zionism with Complexity and Clarity

At Haaretz’s Democracy Conference, Nexus’s Ella Messler offered a deeply grounded reflection on the meaning of Zionism:

“I have a vastly different definition of Zionism than a Palestinian living in the West Bank. That doesn’t make mine more right or theirs. But we have to find a way to sit with both.”

This is a reminder of how accusations of antisemitism often arise from conflicting definitions and experiences.

Too often, disagreement about Zionism is treated as evidence of antisemitism, when in fact people are approaching the term from entirely different histories, experiences, and political realities. Understanding that difference, and making space for it, is essential to fighting both real antisemitism and the weaponization of the term.

Antisemitism in the News

DOJ Escalates Targeting of Soros Based on Antisemitic Conspiracy

The Department of Justice has instructed multiple U.S. attorneys to prepare possible criminal charges against the Open Society Foundations, founded by Holocaust survivor George Soros.

The directive cited a report that claimed, without credible evidence, that the foundation supports groups tied to terrorism. The charges under consideration include arson and material support for terrorism.

This is the most serious example yet of a conspiracy theory driving federal enforcement.

The idea that Soros is a shadowy puppet-master controlling protests, immigration, academia, and elections has been one of the most prevalent antisemitic narratives in America for the past two decades. It has fueled everything from Fox News segments to mass shooter manifestos.

Now it is being used to justify criminal prosecution. That makes this a turning point.

Vice President Uses “Blood Libel” to Attack Political Opponents

Vice President J.D. Vance accused critics of ICE of committing “blood libel,” a term rooted in one of the darkest antisemitic lies in history: that Jews murdered Christian children for ritual purposes.

The first accusation occurred in 12th-century England. It led to centuries of violence, pogroms, and expulsions. It has long been considered one of the most dangerous slurs in Jewish history.

Using it to describe criticism of immigration enforcement doesn’t protect Jewish safety. It erases history, blurs definitions, and turns a genocidal slur into a political talking point.

Nexus in the News

Most Jews Are Concerned About Campus Antisemitism. They Also Reject Trump’s Response.

A new national survey found that 72 percent of American Jews are concerned about antisemitism on college campuses. But nearly 60 percent disapprove of the Trump administration’s response, including efforts to defund universities like Harvard and UCLA.

Becca Israel, Nexus’s Director of Strategic Engagement, told NPR:

“The weaponization of these legitimate concerns for unrelated political goals… really represents a dangerous distraction.”

Jonathan Jacoby on the Weaponization of Antisemitism

On Religion News Service’s podcast The State of Belief, Nexus National Director Jonathan Jacoby breaks down how antisemitism is being used to silence dissent and discredit critics, especially around Israel.

He reflects on his family’s Holocaust history, the challenges of navigating Jewish identity in political spaces, and how the Nexus Document sets clear boundaries between critique and hate. He also speaks to the value of interfaith solidarity and open disagreement inside Jewish communities.

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.