A major controversy has erupted on the American right following Tucker Carlson's recent two-hour podcast interview with Nick Fuentes, a right-wing activist known for his America First anti-Israel views and white-nationalist ideology.

The debate recently intensified when Kevin Roberts, president of the influential conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, defended Carlson, stating that conservatives should focus on the left rather than attack allies on the right, and that supporting Israel is not a requirement for conservatives.

This defense sparked immediate backlash from pro-Israel neoconservatives, Heritage staffers, Republican senators, and Jewish leaders, including RJC CEO Matt Brooks, who called the remarks "appalled, offended and disgusted."

The controversy has exposed divisions within the conservative movement over free speech, antisemitism, and the boundaries of acceptable discourse, with prominent figures like Ted Cruz condemning the interview and calling for de-platforming and 'canceling' people like Fuentes. While majority and growing number of young conservatives call for open debate and opposition to Israeli influence on American foreign policy.

The interview featured Fuentes expressing views that include criticism of "organized Jewry in America" and praise for Joseph Stalin. While Carlson disagreed with Fuentes' claim that Jewish loyalty to the U.S. is suspect, he also praised Fuentes multiple times and criticized "Christian Zionists" like Ted Cruz and George W. Bush, calling their beliefs a "brain virus."

The conversation has been widely condemned by Jewish neoconservative commentators, including Mark Levin, who criticized the amplification of anti-Israel rhetoric for clicks and controversy. The interview has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over whether the conservative movement should tolerate or distance itself from figures with overtly anti-Israel views.

Roberts' defense of Carlson, in a video posted on October 30, denied that the Heritage Foundation was distancing itself from the former Fox News host, calling the idea a "false narrative." Roberts argued that while antisemitism is wrong, conservatives do not need to always support Israel, and that canceling figures like Fuentes is not the answer—instead, ideas should be challenged through debate.

This stance drew sharp rebuke from within the organization, with Heritage researcher Preston Brashers posting a "NAZIS ARE BAD" meme and stating he was prepared to resign over the issue. Roberts later issued a statement condemning Fuentes' "vicious antisemitic ideology" and Holocaust denial, but the initial defense had already fueled a significant internal and external rift.

The backlash has been swift and broad. Ted Cruz, speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) Leadership Summit in Las Vegas on October 30, 2025 in Las Vegas, stated that he has seen more antisemitism on the right in the past six months than in his entire life, and accused Carlson of being complicit by not confronting Fuentes' views.

RJC CEO Matt Brooks echoed this sentiment, calling the defense of Carlson "appalled, offended and disgusted." Other prominent conservative voices, including Levin, have criticized the trend of giving platform to provocateurs, arguing it undermines the movement’s moral authority and electoral viability.

During his own speech at the RJC, Jewish supremacist Randy Fine branded Carlson as “the most dangerous antisemite in America,” warning that “a dark force is rising” and calling Carlson the leader of a modern-day Hitler Youth. He claims Carlson has no place inside the MAGA movement because of his criticism of Israel.

The controversy has also drawn attention to the growing influence of figures like Candace Owens, whose popularity among young conservatives has surged amid increasing skepticism toward U.S. support for Israel.

The incident reflects a larger ideological struggle within the Republican Party and the conservative movement. As the Trump administration continues to crack down on alleged antisemitism on college campuses, critics argue that the administration conflates criticism of Israel's actions with antisemitism.

Growing number of conservatives have started questioning America's costly support for Israel which has cost American in blood and treasure fighting wars in the Middle East on behalf of the Jewish nation. This support, critics argue, is only possible because of the undue influence of Jewish lobby and groups like AIPAC.

The debate over the Fuentes interview has become a litmus test for the movement’s future direction—whether it will prioritize free speech and a broad coalition that includes all important voices or enforce stricter boundaries against criticisms of Israeli influence.

Rabid pro-Israel voices like Josh Hammer, Fine and Levin have also been called out by critics for their vile rhetoric inciting violence against America First voices like Carlson and Owens.

US Vice President JD Vance addressed concerns about Israel's influence on American foreign policy during a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday, stating that President Donald Trump is not controlled by Israel and that US policy is driven by American interests.

Trump, Vance, and other members of the administration were in Israel earlier this month to celebrate the release of 20 living hostages held by Hamas. They were also celebrating the ceasefire deal that came two years after Hamas militants stormed into Israel and killed about 1,200 people triggering a genocidal military bombardment of Gaza, causing famine and killing about 70,000 Palestinians.

“I’m a Christian man, and I’m just confused why there’s this notion that we might owe Israel something or that they are our greatest ally or that we have to support this multi-hundred-billion dollar foreign aid package to Israel to cover this — to quote Charlie Kirk — ethnic cleansing in Gaza,” a student asked Vance during the Q&A at the TPUSA event. “I’m just confused why this idea has come around, considering that not only does their religion not agree with ours, but openly supports the prosecution of ours.”

The question drew cheers from the crowd before Vance responded.

Vance emphasized that the US could only secure the recent Gaza ceasefire by applying leverage to Israel, framing the administration's actions as evidence of its independence from Israeli influence. He also acknowledged theological differences between Christians and Jews but stressed shared interests, such as preserving access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

“The president of the United States could only get that peace deal done by actually being willing to apply leverage to the state of Israel,” Vance said. “So when people say that Israel is somehow manipulating or controlling the president of the United States, they are not controlling this president of the United States, which is one of the reasons why we have been able to have some of the success we have had in the Middle East.”

Responding to the second part of the student's question, Vance said there are “significant theological disagreements” between Christians and Jews, but that both sides can work together to preserve religious sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

“My attitude is, if we can work with our friends in Israel to make sure Christians have safe access to that site, that’s an obvious area of common interest. I’m fine with that,” Vance said, and then added, “What I’m not okay with is any country coming before the interests of American citizens.”

This exchange reflects a broader trend of rising anti-Israel sentiments within the American right, fueled by American public revulsion at the genocide of Palestinian children in Gaza by the Israel Defense Force in Gaza.

Prominent American conservative and right-wing figures like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, commentators like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Dave Smith, Megyn Kelly, Nick Fuentes and deceased TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, who have harshly criticized Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli influence on politicians and administration officials in the U.S. They argue that Israel has become a liability as an ally, pushing the U.S. to fight its "Greater Israel" wars in the Middle East in recent decades entirely at the cost of American blood and trillions in tax dollars.

Many conservatives have also raised concerns about the personal and social cost associated with criticizing Israel. Critics of Netanyahu and Israeli influence on American foreign policy often face accusation of promoting antisemitism, and are de-platformed by big tech and financial institutions which are mostly controlled by Jewish executives.

Vance's comments align with this growing faction within the MAGA movement that views Israel critically, often framing US support as a form of undue influence. Young conservatives have used platforms like TPUSA to question Israel's legitimacy and raise concerns about Jewish control of important American institutions like the banks and media. The vice president’s defense of the US-Israel relationship, while emphasizing American interests, has been interpreted by some as a tacit endorsement of this critical stance on Israel.

Heritage Foundation Backs Tucker Carlson Over Nick Fuentes Interview Fallout

The Heritage Foundation’s Kevin Roberts has also echoed this sentiment, suggesting Christians have the right to criticize Israel, further legitimizing such discourse within conservative circles.

Following Carlson's recent interview with Fuentes which has only intensified the debate over Israeli influence, there have been calls by Jewish neoconservatives for Carlson to be de-platformed and 'canceled.' Rumors circulated online Wednesday, that the Heritage Foundation was about to dissociate itself from Carlson who remains a key figure in the MAGA movement.

Roberts released a video message Thursday on X, expressing full support for Carlson. "My loyalty as a Christian and as an American is to Christ first and to America always," he said in the viral video.

"The Heritage Foundation didn't become the intellectual backbone of the conservative movement by canceling our own people or policing the consciences of Christians, and we won't start doing that now, Roberts said. ".....We will always defend truth. We will always defend America, and we will always defend our friends against the slander of bad actors who serve someone else's agenda."

"That includes Tucker Carlson, who remains, and as I have said before, always will be a close friend of the Heritage Foundation," Roberts declared.

"I disagree with and even abhor things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer either," he said. "...When we disagree with a person's thoughts and opinions, we challenge those ideas in debate, and we have seen success in this approach as we continue to dismantle the vile ideas of the left."

Western Union has announced plans to launch its U.S. Dollar Payment Token (USDPT), a dollar-backed stablecoin built on the Solana blockchain and issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, with availability expected in the first half of 2026.

This move marks a significant expansion into digital assets, aiming to leverage Solana's high-speed, low-cost infrastructure to enhance cross-border payments and treasury operations, while integrating with a new Digital Asset Network to provide seamless cash off-ramps via partner wallets and Western Union’s global retail footprint.

The USDPT stablecoin will be pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar and will allow users to send, receive, spend, and hold the digital asset through partner exchanges, expanding money movement options for customers, agents, and partners.

The initiative is driven by a shared vision with Solana and Anchorage Digital to modernize financial infrastructure, with Anchorage Digital providing federally regulated stablecoin issuance and digital asset custody solutions.

Western Union's decision follows the passage of the GENIUS Act in mid-2025, which established the first federal regulatory framework for stablecoins, providing clarity on 1:1 reserves and audits, enabling regulated institutions like Western Union to enter the space with compliant operations.

The company positions the launch as a natural evolution of its 175-year history of using technology to connect people, aiming to make financial services more accessible, efficient, and inclusive globally.

This development comes amid a growing trend of traditional financial institutions and fintechs entering the stablecoin market, following announcements from JPMorgan Chase (JPM Coin), PayPal (PYUSD), and Zelle’s parent company, Early Warning Services, which is researching stablecoin use for fast cross-border payments.