The chatter over podcaster Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes has not settled down one iota. People on the right remain ensconced in a fiery debate over whether conservative-leaning figures should platform Fuentes and others like him.
Now, the left is getting in on the action.
New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg entered into the conversation with a bizarre — and dishonest — op-ed in which she claimed Fuentes is becoming Charlie Kirk’s successor. That’s right. Not only is she exploiting Kirk’s assassination to smear the right, she is also lying about the current state of the right.
Goldberg notes the ongoing conflict between Kirk and Fuentes, recounting how the white nationalist used his supporters, known as “groypers,” to attend Turning Point USA events to expose them as “anti-White.”
Fuentes has been a fringe element on the right over the past seven years. He is known for praising Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin while making demeaning comments about Jewish and Black people. During his interview with Carlson, he spoke at length about why he admires Stalin, in particular.
Goldberg also quotes conservative writer Rod Dreher, who said, “I am told by someone in a position to know that something like 30 to 40 percent of D.C. G.O.P. staffers under the age of 30 are Groypers.”
This is a dubious claim. But it is true that many young men are fans of Fuentes and his white nationalist movement.
Goldberg noted how Fuentes’ visibility increased after Kirk’s death. His interview with Carlson went viral, with many on the right criticizing Carlson for giving him a “softball” interview with very little pushback on Fuentes’ abhorrent beliefs. She argues that several mainstream conservative figures contributed to Fuentes’ rise by failing to call out extremist elements on the right.
The author pointed to a video released by Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, in which he argues against canceling folks on the right who express racist and authoritarian views. She brought up The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, who advocated for uniting with controversial figures on the right because it is necessary to defeat the left.
Groypers have attacked minority leaders on the right, including Vivek Ramaswamy, Brandon Tatum, and even Vice President JD Vance’s wife, Usha, who is of Indian descent. Fuentes, during a recent broadcast, even used a racial slur against Usha. He is also known for justifying racism against Black and Hispanic Americans.
It’s easy to understand the purpose of this op-ed. Goldberg is trying to use Fuentes to attack the right. The tactic comes straight from the left-wing playbook; find a racist nutjob who identifies as right-wing and pretend they represent the movement as a whole.
But Goldberg apparently forgot to mention the huge backlash that has ensued on the airwaves and interwebs against Fuentes. As I said earlier, many are criticizing Carlson for his softball interview with the groyper leader. Many others have rejected Walsh’s notion that we should align with the more unsavory figures on the right.
To put it simply: Most people on the right think Nicky Fuentes is a gigantic whale turd and want nothing to do with him. The notion that he would succeed Charlie Kirk, who also rejected Fuentes and his movement is a desperate attempt to capitalize on controversy.