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By Gabe Whisnant
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Senator Ted Cruz on Thursday delivered a sharp denunciation of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, condemning his recent interview with far-right commentator Nick Fuentes and warning that such rhetoric is fueling anti-Israel sentiment among young conservatives.
Although Cruz did not mention Carlson by name, his remarks were unmistakably aimed at the right-wing commentator, whose show recently featured Fuentes — a Holocaust denier and extremist who has praised Hitler.
Why Did the Nick-Fuentes-Tucker Carlson Interview Get Backlash?
The interview between Fuentes and Carlson drew widespread backlash for giving a platform to extremist views. Critics from across the political spectrum, including prominent Jewish leaders, condemned the discussion as legitimizing antisemitic and racist rhetoric. Fuentes has espoused Holocaust denial and white nationalist ideology. Carlson, already under fire for his past remarks about race and immigration, was accused of amplifying hate speech under the guise of political debate.
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Carlson, one of the most influential figures on the right, has criticized U.S. support for Israel in its war with Hamas. He has also faced backlash for promoting far-right views, including the white supremacist “replacement” theory that claims white people are being displaced by people of color.
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How Ted Cruz Responded to the Interview
Speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual legislative conference in Las Vegas, Cruz called the conversation “cowardly and complicit,” saying that anyone who gives a platform to those who praise Adolf Hitler or question America’s fight against Nazi Germany “betrays both history and moral decency.”
“If you sit there with someone who says Adolf Hitler was very, very cool,” Cruz said, “and you say nothing, then you are a coward and you are complicit.”
According to reporting by Jewish News Syndicate, Cruz also warned that some conservative voices are eroding support for Israel among younger evangelicals and conservatives, aligning some on the right with far-left critics of the Jewish state.
“We are seeing young Christians turning against Israel,” Cruz said. “If you sit silent while hate spreads, you are complicit.”
His speech drew several rounds of applause and a standing ovation.
Last September, Carlson sparked controversy for his interview with podcaster Darryl Cooper on Sept. 2, 2024, during a live episode of his show on X. In the conversation, Cooper claimed that the Holocaust was not an intentional act of genocide and argued that Winston Churchill, rather than Adolf Hitler, was the “chief villain” of World War II.
Carlson introduced Cooper as “the most important popular historian working in the United States today” and offered little pushback to his assertions. The interview drew widespread condemnation from historians, Jewish groups, and members of Congress, who accused Carlson of promoting Holocaust denial and giving a platform to extremist, revisionist views.
Cruz also referenced the Carlson-Cooper interview in his remarks on Thursday to the Republican Jewish Coalition.
What is the Heritage Foundation and How Did It Respond?
Cruz’s rebuke came after Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts publicly defended Carlson, saying he “will always be a close friend of the Heritage Foundation” and rejecting calls to disavow him over his Fuentes interview.
Roberts’ video posted to X drew sharp criticism from prominent Jewish leaders and supporters of Israel across the political spectrum.
David M Friedman, who served as US Ambassador to Israel during Trump's first term, said on X about Roberts' response, "When the head of a leading conservative think tank publicly declares that he stands with a vile pundit who detests Christian Zionists (e.g. Billy Graham or Charlie Kirk) 'more than anyone' but defends Sharia Law and considers Hamas a 'political organization,' you know that the conservative movement has a problem. Under President Trump, Republicans are dominating the political discourse with common sense ideas and good policies. But the woke right within the party is insistent on destroying all that because it can’t get the antisemitic virus out of their bloodstream. This is a major unforced error and self-inflicted wound that needs to be corrected fast!"
Updates: 10/31/25, 2:17 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
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