Trump taps friend, Orthodox Jew, as antisemitism envoy

Born in Israel, Kaploun currently serves as Co-founder and President of RussKap Water, a company specializing in atmospheric water generation technology.

By Jewish Breaking News

President Donald Trump has nominated Yehuda Kaploun to serve as the next US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.

“I am proud to nominate Yehuda Kaploun as the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ambassador-at-Large,” Trump announced on Thursday on the Truth Social social media platform.

“Yehuda is a successful businessman and staunch advocate for the Jewish faith and the rights of his people to live and worship free from persecution. With antisemitism dangerously on the rise, Yehuda will be the strongest representative for Americans and Jews across the globe, and promote PEACE,” wrote Trump.

Born in Kfar Chabad, near Ben-Gurion Airport, Kaploun currently serves as Co-founder and President of RussKap Water, a company specializing in atmospheric water generation technology.

His relationship with Trump began decades ago in New York through his business partner Ed Russo, who served as Trump’s environmental adviser for over 20 years.

Alongside Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, Kaploun co-founded a charity dedicated to assisting special needs children and their families.

Throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, he played a significant role in Trump’s outreach to the Jewish community.

In a recent interview with Mishpacha Magazine, Kaploun expressed grave concerns about the rising tide of antisemitism in America.

“Just a year ago, no one would have believed that Jews would be afraid to be openly Jewish in the United States. The fact that Jews are afraid in progressive universities shows that the United States is going down a dark path,” he said.

“Our situation is similar to that of Jews in 1930s Germany, on the eve of Kristallnacht. They, too, lived in peace and quiet until the ground shook under their feet. And in the United States, the ground is already shaking.”

Upon learning of his nomination, Kaploun told Jewish Insider he was “both humbled and honored that the president chose me to represent him and assist him to combat antisemitism and hatred in America and globally.”

If confirmed, Kaploun will succeed former Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, a well-known Holocaust historian who is credited for significantly broadening the position’s ability to tackle antisemitism in the US.