Donald Trump signed an executive order that broadens the definition of anti-Semitism, but critics say it could be used to clamp down on free speech and legitimate criticism of the government of Israel.

Trump's order effectively redefines Judaism as a race or nationality instead of a religion, and threatens to withhold federal funding from colleges and universities that fail to combat anti-Semitism.  But higher educational institutions are the source of much of the BDS movement, which urges people, governments, and businesses to boycott, divest, and sanction Israel for its treatment of the Palestinians.

"This executive order won't protect Jewish students against nazis or nazi recruitment, it won't prevent campuses from scheduling important events on Jewish holidays, and it won't protect Jewish religious spaces," said Tallie Ben Daniel, Research and Education Manager at Jewish Voice for Peace.  "But it will target the incredible student movement for Palestinian rights, which is principled and diverse, and has always included a lot of Jewish students."

Critics worry that the order will attack free speech on college campuses.

"This executive order is a clear instrument of oppression, targeting activism for freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people on campuses and it is just disguised as anti-discrimination policy," said Yousef Munayyer, the executive director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights.  "It's a shameless exploitation of legitimate fears that people have around a real resurgence of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of racism that this president himself has fueled."

Others say Trump's order is anti-Semitic in itself because it reinforces the ugly and false trope of American Jews being more loyal to Israel than they are to the United States.

"What's so dangerous about this measure is defining Jews as a nationality suggests that Jews are somehow not American," said Emily Mayer, founder and political director of the liberal Jewish group IfNotNow.  "Jews have seen in so many other countries what happens when people are defined as other to the national origin," she added.  "There's so much data and historical evidence to suggest that this is a really scary move."

Last weekend, in a speech before a US Jewish group in Florida, Trump reached deep into his bag of anti-Semitic stereotypes - particularly regarding perceived Jewish wealth - to insult his audience over a Democratic tax proposal.

"You're not going to vote for the wealth tax, even if you don't like me - some of you don't - you're going to be my biggest supporters because you'll be out of business in about 15 minutes," Trump said.  "You're brutal killers, not nice people at all, but you have to vote for me.  You have no choice," he also said.