During a 4 July speech in Iowa celebrating passage of his signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Donald Trump referred to some lenders as "shylocks and bad people." The term, drawn from Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” has long been regarded by Jewish organizations as an antisemitic stereotype of greedy moneylenders. The Anti-Defamation League described the remark as “very troubling and irresponsible,” while Representative Dan Goldman, a Jewish Democrat from New York, called it “blatant and vile antisemitism.” Other advocacy groups and commentators issued similar condemnations. Questioned by reporters after the speech, Trump said he was unaware of the slur’s history, stating that he understood “shylock” to mean only a moneylender who charges high interest. “You view it differently than me. I’ve never heard that,” he told journalists aboard Air Force One. Amid the backlash, Trump also intensified criticism of Harvard University, labeling the Ivy League school “totally antisemitic” on 9 July and expressing confidence that his administration will “absolutely” reach an agreement with the university to curb speech he views as hostile to Israel.