WASHINGTON – Remarks made by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson at a memorial service for conservative activist โขCharlie Kirk’s mother ignited controversy this weekend, drawing accusations of antisemitismโ from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and prompting widespread condemnation. carlson’s comments, delivered on September 21, 2023, at a private event in Dallas, Texas,โฃ centered on the perceived influence of Jewish people in the Biden administration and the broader U.S. government.The controversy โunderscores escalating concerns about the mainstreaming of extremist rhetoric within conservative circles and the potentialโ for such language to โขincite violence. The ADL specifically flagged Carlson’s assertion that individuals are “looking at who is really in charge” and noticing Jewish figures in positions of power as echoing a classic antisemitic trope โค- the idea ofโ Jewish control. The incident arrives amid heightened global sensitivity following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israelโค by Hamas and a documented surge in antisemitic incidents worldwide.
According to reports,Carlson,speaking about the current political landscape,stated that people are beginning to question the true power brokers in Washington. He suggested that a disproportionate number ofโฃ influential figures with Jewish heritage hold keyโฃ positions โขwithin the biden administration, implying a hiddenโ agenda. While Carlson did not explicitly name individuals, the implication drew immediate criticism.
The ADL released a statement on September 22, 2023, asserting that Carlson’s remarks “fed into dangerousโ tropes about Jewish power and control.” The institution further notedโ that such rhetoric has historically been used to justify discrimination and violence against Jewish communities.Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO, called on leaders across the politicalโ spectrum to denounce Carlson’s comments.
Carlson, who was fired from Fox News in April โ2023, has since launched a โshow on X, formerly Twitter, where he continues to cultivate a large following. He has not publicly addressed the specific accusations of antisemitism, โฃbut has defendedโข his right to express โcontroversial opinions. The incident is likely to further fuel โdebate about the boundaries of free speech โand the obligation of public figures to avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes.โ The โlong-term impact remains to be seen, but the immediate fallout highlights the fragility of interfaith relations and the persistent threat โof antisemitism in contemporary society.