Halie Soifer, the CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, smeared former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell in a tweet on Tuesday after it was announced the Trump administration appointed him to the Holocaust Memorial Council.
Soifer claimed in her tweet that "Grenell sought to 'empower' far-right parties & anti-establishment conservatives in Europe. Others have been unqualified, but he's emboldened actual neo-Nazis."
Today, Trump appointed Richard Grenell to the Holocaust Memorial Council. As US Amb to Germany, Grenell sought to "empower" far-right parties & anti-establishment conservatives in Europe. Others have been unqualified, but he's emboldened actual neo-Nazis.https://t.co/ipqZzvZVzt
— Halie Soifer (@HalieSoifer) December 22, 2020
Users on Twitter were quick to point out there is no evidence of Grenell having "emboldened neo-Nazis" while he was serving as an ambassador. Instead, they showed examples of how Grenell did the exact opposite.
Hello @HalieSoifer, this is @RichardGrenell at Auschwitz in May 2019, leading the first-ever U.S. delegation to the March of the Living, photo taken by me. You should retract at the very least, and apologize if you’re inclined to help and not just abuse the Holocaust for politics https://t.co/GKRgljGb5q pic.twitter.com/xGtEWXcdJu
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) December 23, 2020
Richard Grenell helped get Nazi war criminals deported back to Germany to face justice for their evil: https://t.co/pQd7MP0zzj https://t.co/K2KM8O2G1g
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 22, 2020
This is a sick, vile lie. @RichardGrenell’s work in Germany was crucial. He is a constant ally of Jews in an increasingly anti-Semitic Europe and worked to get the last known actual Nazi extradited and tried for his crimes. He also took on Hezbollah. https://t.co/UvcurkRP2e
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) December 23, 2020
Halie, you’re an ignorant piece of trash. pic.twitter.com/n3PXqk8TfR
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) December 22, 2020
Grenell also called out Soifer's baseless claim.
This should be given a @twitter warning for pushing fake news.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 23, 2020
Halie hates gay conservatives so she pushes phony right wing conspiracy theories about us.
Halie believes every gay person must be a Democrat.
It’s so offensive. @getoutspoken20 https://t.co/5ojdslub0N
This is a lie. I’ve never empowered the far-right. As a gay conservative, it’s offensive. The embassy policy was MY policy. I created it. Stop pushing fake news.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 23, 2020