Story highlights
- Rick Santorum argued with the CNN anchor over who is responsible for a spate of anti-Semitism
- 48 Jewish centers were threatened in January
(CNN)Former Sen. Rick Santorum clashed with CNN anchor Chris Cuomo on Tuesday morning over who is responsible for a rash of anti-Semitic acts since Inauguration Day.
"If you look at the fact of the people who are responsible for a lot of this anti-Semitism that we're seeing, I hate to say it, a lot of it is coming from the pro-Palestinian or Muslim community," said the former Republican senator and presidential candidate. "So let's just lay out that fact."
Cuomo, however, took issue with Santorum's characterization of the menace, which has taken the form of numerous threats on Jewish Community Centers across the nation.
"I don't know that that's a fact, by the way," Cuomo said. "[Y]ou have white haters historically ... who target the Jews in this country."
"That's not what's going on on college campuses, Chris, white haters," replied Santorum. "Let's say the truth about this."
In all, 48 JCCs in 26 states and one Canadian province received nearly 60 bomb threats during January, according to the the Jewish Community Center Association. Most were made in rapid succession on three days: January 9, 18 and 31. A number of JCCs, including Orlando's, received multiple threats.
On Monday, another wave of bomb threats hit 11 JCCs across the country, bringing the total to 69 incidents targeting 54 JCCs in 27 states, according to the JCCA.
Trump has faced calls from Democrats and Jewish leaders urging him to speak out against the rise in anti-Semitic incidents.
On Tuesday, while speaking at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, he said, "This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms. The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil."
In a separate interview with MSNBC he said, "I will tell you anti-Semitism is horrible, and it's going to stop and it has to stop."
Also on Monday, Ivanka Trump, who converted to Judaism, tweeted: "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC".
She was the first member of the Trump family to comment on the bomb threats.
Later in the conversation with Santorum, Cuomo asked why the Trump administration wasn't doing more to directly address the threats, which have shaken much of the nation's Jewish community.
"You guys have no problem going after Muslims for things they don't do, let alone what they do do. So why doesn't Trump go after the Muslims who are doing this on college campuses against the Jews?" he asked.
"I am for him doing that," Santorum said. "I think he should."