Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun Confirmed as U.S. Antisemitism Envoy

Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun was officially confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday as the new Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, a position with ambassadorial rank within the U.S. State Department. The vote passed 53–43, solidifying his role at a critical time of rising global antisemitism.

Kaploun, a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi and longtime Jewish communal activist, was nominated by President Donald Trump in May 2025. Born in Kfar Chabad, Israel, Kaploun has lived in the United States for decades and currently resides in Miami. He was notably active in post-9/11 emergency response efforts in New York City and has served in senior roles at the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago resort.

As Special Envoy, Kaploun will lead U.S. efforts to track, confront, and counter antisemitism worldwide. His responsibilities include gathering data on antisemitic incidents, liaising with foreign governments and international organizations, and formulating U.S. policy to fight anti-Jewish hatred globally.

Kaploun has long been close to the Trump family and played a visible role in Trump’s outreach to Jewish communities during his first term. He was involved in presenting Israeli water-tech innovations at Mar-a-Lago and helped organize Jewish community events with former Vice President Mike Pence in 2020.

The World Jewish Congress (WJC) welcomed his confirmation. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder described Kaploun as “a dedicated fighter against anti-Jewish hatred,” stressing the need for strong leadership as antisemitism becomes “global, coordinated, and emboldened.”

Kaploun’s appointment comes in the wake of several high-profile antisemitic incidents including violent assaults in New York and the recent mass shooting at a Chanukah event in Sydney, Australia that have alarmed Jewish communities worldwide.

Kaploun is expected to work closely with counterparts in other countries through the Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism forum, a network first convened by the WJC in 2019.

Jewish leaders across the political spectrum expressed hope that his leadership would bring urgency and action to the fight against antisemitism at a time when Jewish communities are facing growing threats and hostility.

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