It was no surprise when Joe Kent showed up on Tucker Carlson鈥檚 podcast a day after quitting his counterterrorism job in President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration. Here was a top official who turning to right-wing media鈥檚 .
鈥淭he Israelis drove the decision to take this action,鈥� Kent said in
But before long, the conversation moved in a different direction as Kent nodded to conspiracy theories that pro-Israel forces were behind the assassination of conservative activist .
鈥淚鈥檓 saying there are unanswered questions,鈥� Kent said.
The conversation encapsulated two schisms within the Republican Party and the right-wing media system, both of which have reached high into the national security establishment of the Trump administration.
There鈥檚 a foreign policy debate over the wisdom of Trump鈥檚 and the future of the United States’ longstanding alliance with Israel.
But there also are fears that the focus on Israel is the leading edge of an antisemitic fringe that has gained ground by portraying Jews as shadowy manipulators, echoing some of history’s most hateful tropes.
Tucker Carlson is playing a central role
At the center of both issues is Carlson, a former Fox 草莓传媒 host who remains influential among conservatives. He was previously denounced for hosting Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and antisemite, on his podcast last year. During the interview, Fuentes complained about 鈥渙rganized Jewry in America.鈥�
On Wednesday, Carlson was sharply critical about Israel, saying “its lobbying in the United States pressured the president.鈥�
Matt Brooks, president of , described Kent’s appearance on Carlson’s podcast as 鈥減art of an ongoing problem.鈥�
He noted that his group opposed Kent’s nomination as because of ties to right-wing extremism. Trump ignored those concerns even though, as he said after Kent’s resignation, 鈥淚 always thought he was weak on security鈥� and 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know him well.鈥�
Kent’s resignation letter trafficked in antisemitic conspiracy theories while raising concerns about the war with Iran.
He blamed 鈥渉igh-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media鈥� for encouraging conflict. Indeed, Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an attack on Iran.
But Kent also went further, saying it’s 鈥渢he same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war.鈥� He also said his wife, a Navy cryptologist who was killed by a suicide bomber in Syria, died 鈥渋n a war manufactured by Israel.鈥�
Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, described the letter as 鈥渧irulent antisemitism.鈥� Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, said 鈥渟capegoating Israel isn鈥檛 just a tired antisemitic trope 鈥� it鈥檚 anti-American.鈥�
Kent has previously rejected all forms of 鈥渞acism and bigotry.鈥�
Trump has said nothing about Kent’s remarks on Israel. He previously disputed the idea that Israel pushed him toward war, saying, “I might have forced their hand.鈥�
Unified Republican support for Israel has fractured
Questions about Israeli influence are not unique to right-wing circles. Progressives have also faced accusations of antisemitism for their response to the war in Gaza, which began with on Oct. 7, 2023.
But it’s been a widening fault line within the Republican Party, which has been a bedrock of support for Israel over the years. Conservatives are still reckoning with the fallout from Carlson鈥檚 interview with Fuentes.
For example, board members and other staff members resigned from the Heritage Foundation after the think tank’s president defended Carlson.
Trump tried to sidestep the issue, and praising Carlson for having 鈥渟aid good things about me over the years.鈥� The president previously dined with Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, between his two terms, and Carlson has continued to visit the White House.
Mort Klein, president of the conservative Jewish group the Zionist Organization of America, said Wednesday that he supports Trump but 鈥淚鈥檇 like him to do more鈥� about antisemitism.
鈥淚 want him to be stronger on those issues,鈥� Klein said.
Carlson has said that he is not antisemitic. But he has said that anti-Jewish hate is less pervasive in society than bias against white people and that some Christian politicians who were fervent supporters of Israel were guilty of heresy.
Israel divide simmers in right-wing media
The Iran war is poised to continue fracturing right-wing media.
Ben Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, called Carlson鈥檚 Fuentes interview 鈥渁n act of moral imbecility鈥� and accused the host of misleading his audience with falsehoods and conspiracy theories.
He’s also feuded with Candace Owens, who has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories. Dennis Prager, a conservative commentator, wrote in an open letter to Owens that 鈥淚 cannot think of anyone in public life engendering as much suspicion of Jews, Zionism and Israel as you.鈥�
Megyn Kelly, like Carlson a former Fox 草莓传媒 Channel anchor now helming her own independent media empire, said the war was sold to the American people by 鈥淚srael firsters, like Mark Levin.鈥� Levin, a radio and Fox personality, has been among Trump鈥檚 most fervent supporters of the war.
Levin, for his part, called Kelly an 鈥渆motionally unhinged, lewd and petulant wreck.鈥�
It promises to continue.
Levin posted on social media an invitation to Kent to appear on his show in the coming days.
鈥淪ure,鈥� Kent replied. 鈥淟et鈥檚 go.鈥�
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This story has been corrected to show the name of the conservative Jewish group is the Zionist Organization of America, not Zionists for America.
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