Tucker Carlson — Antisemite of the Week

Tucker Carlson, 56, a San Francisco native and longtime media personality, rose to prominence as Fox News’ primetime star before being fired amid controversy; now reinvented as a self-styled “independent journalist,” he uses his platform of millions to normalize antisemitism, from downplaying white supremacy to promoting the antisemitic “great replacement” theory, turning dog whistles into a megaphone for hate.

In 2023, on the debut of his new show, Tucker Carlson described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – who is Jewish – using a string of recognized antisemitic tropes. He labeled Zelensky “sweaty and rat-like,” a “comedian turned oligarch,” a “persecutor of Christians,” and a “friend of BlackRock” – a pointed reference to BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who is also Jewish. Carlson went on to call Zelensky “shifty” and “dead-eyed,” reducing a democratically elected leader to harmful stereotypes that echo centuries of antisemitic caricatures. His monologue quickly went viral, amassing over 78 million views and illustrating the dangerous reach of his rhetoric.

This was not an isolated moment. Carlson has repeatedly amplified antisemitic narratives, normalizing prejudice and feeding extremists with familiar, damaging tropes. In another instance, he targeted Jewish conservative Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire, claiming he “doesn’t care about the country at all.” Carlson accused Shapiro and other pro-Israel commentators of being “focused on a conflict in a foreign country as their own country becomes dangerously unstable.” Instead of debating Shapiro on substance, Carlson invoked the age-old “dual loyalty” smear – implying Jews are traitorous Americans whose true allegiance lies elsewhere.

Tucker Carlson has built a reputation for giving a platform to dangerous ideas while maintaining plausible deniability. By posing leading questions and then stepping back as his guests make inflammatory statements, he enables the spread of falsehoods and antisemitic narratives without directly saying them himself. For example:

Carlson welcomed Pastor Munther Isaac onto the show despite his known antisemitic views and support for Hamas. When Isaac falsely accused Israel of “genocide” and starving Gazan civilians, Carlson agreed, saying “Father, thank you for your thoroughly decent and sensible analysis.”
Carlson hosted Ivy League chemistry professor Dave Collum on his show, where Collum shockingly argued that “one could make the case we should have sided with Hitler and fought Stalin.”
Last year, Carlson interviewed Holocaust revisionist Darryl Cooper, who claimed the Nazis didn’t intend to kill Jews and blamed Winston Churchill for WWII, even alleging that Churchill’s support of Zionism was financially motivated. Carlson went on to praise Cooper as “the best and most honest popular historian in the United States.”

Following the interview, multiple Republican representatives spoke out, condemning Carlson for giving a platform to someone like Cooper. Congressman Mike Lawler (NY) stated it was “deeply disturbing to give Holocaust revisionists a platform.” Congressman Don Bacon (IL) proclaimed that “revisionist history about the Holocaust is a lie and does harm in the fight against antisemitism.” Former Rep. Liz Cheney described the podcast as “pro-Nazi propaganda.” By hosting these and similar guests, Tucker Carlson repeatedly amplifies harmful narratives, lending credibility to antisemitic rhetoric while distancing himself from direct responsibility.

Most recently, at Charlie Kirk’s memorial, Tucker Carlson trafficked in classic antisemitic tropes while giving Charlie’s eulogy. He likened Kirk to Jesus, saying he “shows up and he starts talking about the people in power… and they become obsessed with making him stop talking!” Carlson then added, “I can just sort of picture the scene, in a lamp-lit room with a bunch of guys sitting around eating hummus thinking about, ‘What do we do about this guy telling the truth about us? We must make him stop talking!'”

By invoking Jewish people as conspiratorial “people in power” plotting together, Carlson relied on centuries-old myths that have fueled violence against Jews. His comments were grotesquely disrespectful, turning a memorial for a friend and staunch supporter of Israel into a platform for antisemitic imagery.

This shocking disregard for Kirk’s legacy, as well as for the Jewish community, underscores Carlson’s willingness to weaponize antisemitic tropes and spread dangerous conspiracies to millions of viewers. By doing so, Tucker Carlson normalizes hatred that has real-world consequences. Enough is enough – it’s time to put an end to Tucker Carlson’s ability to spew his venom against the Jewish people and nation.