House Republicans Accuse Top Psychology Group of Antisemitism

Republicans are stepping up efforts to investigate what they say is broad antisemitism at the American Psychological Association, just weeks after a Department of Education committee recommended putting the brakes on the organization’s accrediting power.

House Republicans blamed the organization for “troubling leadership failures” that they say have alienated Jewish members and undermined confidence in the association’s ability to set standards within the field in a report released on Thursday. The report is the latest attempt to scrutinize the ideology of the A.P.A., the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychologists in the United States.

Wendi S. Williams, the A.P.A. president, flatly rejected the accusations, saying in a statement that the organization “unequivocally condemns antisemitism in all its forms.”

The A.P.A. has nearly 200,000 members and provides accreditation to more than 1,300 training programs, including doctoral internships and postdoctoral residencies.

Since taking control of the House in 2023, Republicans have held hearings on antisemitism aimed at academia and progressive institutions. Some critics have argued that the Trump administration has weaponized claims of antisemitism against these longstanding targets of conservatives.

The report, issued by the House Education and Workforce Committee, concluded that anti-Jewish sentiment “has manifested across the association’s resolutions, listservs, newsletters, publications, and conferences.” It cited “radical activist-academics” who have promoted ideology that “demonizes Israel, minimizes Hamas terrorism and portrays Jews as white oppressors.”