House Democrats Urge Senate to Reject Kaploun as Antisemitism Envoy Before Hearing

A rare public rebuke from House members sets up a test for a nomination that backers say would quickly fill a long-vacant diplomatic post.

Overview

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee set a Wednesday confirmation hearing for Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, who was nominated in April to the ambassador-level role focused on monitoring and combating antisemitism abroad.
Eighteen House Democrats wrote to Chair Jim Risch and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen urging a no vote, calling the nomination partisan and asserting that Kaploun’s comments and actions show unfitness for the job.
The lawmakers cite Kaploun’s statement that Democrats refused to recognize Hamas as terrorists after Oct. 7 and fault him for not condemning remarks President Trump made at a 2024 event he organized.
They also highlight dueling Miami-Dade lawsuits involving Kaploun that led to mutual restraining orders and were settled in April, allegations he disputes and says arose from a resolved marital dispute.
Major Jewish organizations continue to press for rapid confirmation, and Kaploun has promoted a bipartisan, nonpolitical approach in a May op-ed with predecessors Deborah Lipstadt and Elan Carr, with Lipstadt publicly wishing him success.