Reform Movement Statement on the Election of Donald J. Trump

November 6, 2024 - Today, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner issued the following statement on behalf of the Religious Action Center and wider Reform Movement:

Donald J. Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States. We hope and pray that he will be a president for all Americans, advancing the principles of democracy, justice, and commitment to rule of law that have been sources of strength for our nation throughout its history.

We stand ready to join with the new Administration and Congress on any efforts to protect “the orphan, the widow, and the stranger.” We will be allies to any serious effort to combat antisemitism. We will champion a strong U.S.-Israel relationship that fosters democracy and security for the Jewish state while upholding the rights, well-being, and national aspirations of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.

At the same time, we will adamantly oppose any further efforts to eviscerate reproductive rights. We will resist any attempt to target the safety and rights of the LGBTQ+ community. We will defend the security of immigrants and the right to claim asylum. We will reject initiatives that have the effect of harming communities of Color. We will counter any steps that undermine the health of our air, water, and land.

We are also deeply concerned by statements President Trump has made about the weaponization of political power against individuals – including political opponents - and institutions that are core to our democracy, such as the press. And above all, we urge an end to the repeated demeaning of women, the use of hateful language against those who hold different views, and the persistent coarsening of our political culture.

Americans across the political spectrum must stand firm against such attacks. The courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, will have a unique responsibility to ensure that the principle of equal justice is upheld. To that end, we will speak forcefully against any judicial nominee whose record suggests they are prepared to abandon constitutional norms.

We are proud that, through the Reform Movement’s non-partisan Every Voice, Every Vote campaign, our activists contacted 750,000 voters in a campaign rooted in the knowledge that we create a safe future for ourselves and for all people by working together to strengthen our democracy.