‘Second gentleman’ Doug Emhoff deletes X post after botching Hanukkah story

In a post on X, Emhoff, who is Jewish, posted a picture of himself and Harris lighting a menorah, writing "The story of Hanukkah and the story of the Jewish people has always been one of hope and resilience.”

He continued, “In the Hanukkah story, the Jewish people were forced into hiding.” However, that is not part of the story of Hanukkah.

Emhoff added, "No one thought they would survive or that the few drops of oil they had would last. But they survived and the oil kept burning."

The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Assyrians desecrated it in the second century. After the Maccabees defeated the more powerful Assyrian army, they wanted to rededicate and consecrate the Temple but could only find enough oil for one day.

The miracle that is celebrated to this day is that the oil lasted for eight days.

Emhoff continued his inaccurate version writing, "During those eight days in hiding, they recited their prayers and continued their traditions. That’s why Hanukkah means dedication. It was during those dark nights that the Maccabees dedicated themselves to maintaining hope and faith in the oil, each other, and their Judaism," noting that he thinks of the story during "dark times."

Emhoff is currently assisting the administration in addressing antisemitism in the US.