Video shows Trump asking if someone is a 'good Jewish character' as he talks about his low popularity with American Jews — a group he recently told to 'get their act together'

• Video shows Donald Trump boasting about his popularity with Jewish groups.
• The footage was from May 20, 2021, during an event at Trump's Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club.

Donald Trump once said to "be careful" about Persians because "they're very good salesmen" and asked if someone was a "good Jewish character" as he mused about his low popularity with American Jews at an event last year, newly released footage shows.

Documentary filmmaker Alex Holder posted the video on his Twitter after he shared it with The New York Times. Holder was then filming for his documentary, "Unprecedented," which chronicles Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. The filmmaker also became a key witness in the January 6 hearings due to his access to Trump's circle leading up to the 2020 election.

The video, which was not included in the documentary, takes place at an event hosted inside Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on May 20, 2021, according to The Times.

At first, a woman approaches Trump, talking about "the Jews who didn't vote for you," before the former president started to compare his popularity with Jewish people in Israel and in the US.

"The biggest surprise — in Israel I'm at like 94%, but (I got) 27, 28 percent," Trump said, appearing to refer to his supposed approval rating with American Jews, The Times reported. Trump then cuts himself off after he noticed cameras may be rolling.

"Is that rolling? Don't let it roll," he said.

Trump continued to talk about the headway he made with Israel by signing an executive order that formally recognized the country's authority over Golan Heights.

When he noticed Holder, Trump stopped and asked someone, "Is this a good Jewish character right here?"

"You got to love Trump," he continued, referring to himself, as people nearby laughed.

Trump also recently made remarks against American Jews, which White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denounced as "antisemitic."

On his social media website, Truth Social, Trump wrote on Sunday that "no president has done more for Israel" but "Evangelicals" still favor him more than Jewish people, "especially those living in the US."

"Those living in Israel, though are a different story — Highest approval rating in the World, could easily be PM," he wrote. "US Jews have to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel — Before it is too late!"

Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that Trump's comments were "insulting both to Jews and to our Israeli allies."

"But let's be clear, for years, for years now, Donald Trump has aligned with extremist and antisemitic figures," she said.

Holder also called the statement "irresponsible and dangerous" in a tweet posted a few days before he released the footage of Trump's comment.

"As a Jew, I experienced this language firsthand while interviewing Trump," he said.

In the footage, Trump continued to talk about his supposed contributions to the Jewish community.

"Look what I did for the rabbi in Iowa," he said. According to The Times, this was a reference to Sholom Rubashkin, who was convicted of bank fraud and money laundering after his meatpacking plant in Iowa was raided in 2008, when federal agents found hundreds of undocumented immigrants working at the plant.

Trump commuted Rubashkin's 27-year prison sentence. Rubashkin is not a Rabbi.

Before the clip cuts off, Trump also made remarks about Persians, after he asked a woman about her ethnicity. After she confirmed she was Persian, he said to someone, "very smart, be careful. They're very good salesmen."

A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.