Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who has represented New Jersey’s 5th district in the U.S. Congress since 2017, posted a series of statements on social media addressing antisemitic violence and ongoing debates over government funding and health care policy.
On September 25, 2025, Gottheimer condemned an incident involving the desecration of a religious symbol at a local synagogue: “I was disgusted when Temple Sinai’s Israeli flag was burned last week in an act of vile antisemitic violence. On Monday, just before Rosh Hashanah, I stood with the congregation — united against antisemitism and all forms of hate.” This post came shortly after he joined members of the Temple Sinai congregation to show solidarity against hate crimes.
Later that day, Gottheimer criticized former President Trump and congressional allies regarding looming federal budget negotiations: “Trump and his allies in Congress are barreling ahead with a government shutdown instead of working together to lower skyrocketing health care costs. We must fund the government in a responsible way and extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits to protect our seniors,” he wrote on September 25.
Continuing his focus on health care access, Gottheimer warned about potential consequences if legislative action stalls: “If we don’t act, health care premiums will skyrocket for more than 20M Americans — and 4M will lose coverage altogether because they won’t be able to afford it. Yet, Trump and his far-right allies in Congress would rather shut the government down than work across the aisle to” (September 25).
Gottheimer’s comments reflect ongoing concerns about both rising incidents of antisemitism nationwide and recurring disputes over federal spending priorities. As a representative from New Jersey’s 5th district since defeating Scott Garrett in 2017, Gottheimer has emphasized bipartisanship and support for expanded health care coverage throughout his tenure. Born in Livingston, New Jersey in 1975, he resides in Wyckoff and holds degrees from both the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Harvard University (JD).
