Within hours of Kanye West’s full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal, the Anti-Defamation League fired back at him. Jewish advocacy groups called his statement “long overdue” but made clear they were not prepared to forgive.
Ye placed an ad in the newspaper titled “To Those I’ve Hurt.” He blamed his anti-Semitic behavior on an undiagnosed brain injury caused by a car accident in 2002.
The Chicago rapper said frontal lobe damage led to his bipolar disorder diagnosis and years of destructive behavior.
“I’m not a Nazi or anti-Semitic. I love Jews,” West writes in the ad. He detailed how the brain injury went unnoticed for more than 20 years until it was correctly diagnosed in 2023.
The Anti-Defamation League doesn’t think his medical explanation is a complete excuse. A spokesman said Ye’s apology “does not automatically erase his long history of anti-Semitism”.
Their spokesman said: “The most sincere apology is for him to refrain from engaging in anti-Semitic behavior in the future.” They added: “We wish him all the best on his road to recovery.”
Ye’s apology to Jews is long overdue, but it doesn’t automatically erase his long history of anti-Semitism — his creation of the anti-Semitic song “Heil Hitler,” hundreds of tweets, swastikas and countless Holocaust references — and all the feelings of hurt and betrayal…
— ADL (@ADL) January 26, 2026
The organization pointed to specific incidents that harmed the Jewish community. They cited his “anti-Semitic ‘Heil Hitler’ song,” hundreds of hateful tweets, ####### merchandise and Holocaust references.
Each incident creates “feelings of hurt and betrayal” that cannot be eliminated overnight.
West’s anti-Semitic spiral peaked in February 2025, in what he called a “four-month manic phase.” He posted Nazi manifestos and praised Adolf Hitler on social media. During this time, the rapper also sold T-shirts with swastikas on them.
West’s wife, Bianca Sensori, encouraged him to seek professional help when he hit “rock bottom.” He now follows a treatment plan that includes medication, therapy, exercise and clean living. The artist said that he found his “new baseline and new center” through this routine.
This marks West’s second major apology for anti-Semitic comments. He apologized in Hebrew on Instagram in December 2023. However, just two months later, he changed his tune, declaring on X that he would “never apologize for my Jewish comments.”
Corporate America has severed ties with West over his hateful rhetoric. Adidas ends lucrative Yeezy partnership, costing both sides billions of dollars in revenue. Other brands and entertainment companies followed suit, isolating the artist financially.
His new album “Bully,” released Friday, is his first major release since the anti-Semitism controversy began. West is not seeking “sympathy or a pass” but hopes to “earn forgiveness” through continued activism.
