Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Sunday that he believes the United States is ready to elect its first Jewish president, framing the question as secondary to what he called a deeper national problem: Americans losing faith in their own country.
Emanuel, who is weighing a 2028 Democratic presidential bid, made the comments during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Asked by moderator Kristen Welker whether the country was ready for a Jewish president, Emanuel answered yes before pivoting to a broader argument.
“My faith is not your problem,” he said. “The fact that Americans have lost faith in America, that’s our problem. And we should work on that because I’ve seen a generation of people with an emptiness who’ve lost faith in America because they think America lost faith with them. That’s our problem. It’s not my faith.”
Elizabeth Barcohana, chair of the California Republican Party’s Subcommittee for Jewish Engagement, dismissed the remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital. “He sounds pathetic,” she said.
Emanuel has held a string of prominent posts: Chicago mayor, Democratic congressman, White House chief of staff under former President Barack Obama, and U.S. ambassador to Japan under former President Joe Biden. He has increasingly fueled speculation that he will seek the Democratic nomination in 2028.
During Sunday’s interview, Emanuel said he would not alter his religious identity to win political support, and he pointed to his record in office as evidence of how his faith has shaped his decisions.
“If my faith is a problem for you, don’t vote for me,” he said. “I’m not changing my faith. My faith led me to struggle and fight the insurance companies that were denying kids healthcare. My faith led me to take on a failed education system where we were known as the worst city, and I walked out, and we were the best city on education.”
He added: “My faith guided me to make sure that the American people and their families had what it took as a government fighting powerful forces, whether it’s pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, or in fact, educational failed bureaucracy.”
Emanuel tied that message directly to a potential campaign, saying restoring Americans’ confidence in the country would be central to any run he launches. “If I decide to run, that is our collective mission, is to restore that faith,” he said.
The appearance came about a week after Emanuel discussed his presidential ambitions with Fox News Digital at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. Asked what would set him apart in a potentially crowded Democratic field, he cited three qualities: “Candor, authenticity and strength.” He also said his experience across multiple levels of government meant he would know “what to do on day one” if elected.
On Sunday, Emanuel said he believes Americans will ultimately judge a candidate on more than religion, while making clear his faith is not up for negotiation. “I believe in the goodness and the grace of the American people – but my, I will not change my faith,” he said.
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