An opinion essay by attorney and commentator Micha Danzig this week in the online Jewish news magazine The Algemeiner argues that Vice President JD Vance’s failure to confront antisemitism within the populist right represents a serious moral and political failure, not a peripheral issue.
Danzig points to a series of recent incidents involving high-profile conservative media figures.
He cites Megyn Kelly’s favorable remarks about Nick Fuentes, an openly antisemitic extremist who has praised Adolf Hitler, alongside Tucker Carlson’s apparent agreement.
Within a day, Candace Owens reposted Kanye West’s "Death Con 3 on Jewish people" tweet, calling it a "vibe."
According to Danzig, these moments reflect not fringe radicalism but antisemitic ideas moving into the political mainstream.
The essay emphasizes Carlson’s close relationship with Vance and his massive media reach, arguing that conspiratorial narratives long associated with antisemitism, often framed through coded language such as "globalists" or shadowy elites, are being normalized for millions of Americans.
Owens, Danzig writes, has made those themes explicit, while Kelly has helped legitimize figures like Fuentes.
Danzig criticizes Vance for downplaying concerns about antisemitism on the right, noting that the vice president has defended Carlson and framed antisemitism as a vague form of extremism rather than a specific ideological threat.
The author highlights what he sees as a double standard: Vance forcefully responded when Fuentes attacked his wife on racist grounds, but has remained silent or evasive when Jews are targeted more broadly.
Drawing parallels to what he describes as Democrats’ past failure to confront antisemitism on the progressive left, Danzig warns that ignoring the issue allows it to spread and ultimately threatens democratic norms.
Antisemitism, he argues, has historically served as an early warning sign of democratic decay.
The column concludes that Vance, as vice president, has a responsibility to draw clear moral boundaries.
By failing to do so, Danzig writes, Vance risks legitimizing antisemitism within his political coalition and bearing responsibility for its consequences.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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