US Vice President JD Vance’s recent remarks on antisemitism sparked a sharp backlash from within the conservative movement. Speaking Tuesday to conservative radio host and CNN pundit Scott Jennings, Vance dismissed the idea that conservatives should actively guard their ranks against antisemitism. “No it doesn’t, Scott,” Vance replied when asked if the movement needed to “warehouse anybody out there espousing antisemitism in any way.”
Vance went on to frame his comments in broad moral terms, asserting that conservatives, guided by Christian principles, are inclusive of people from all backgrounds. “I think we need to reject all forms of ethnic hatred, whether it’s antisemitism, anti-Black hatred, anti-white hatred,” he said. “And I think that’s one of the great things about the conservative coalition, is that we are, I think, fundamentally rooted in the Christian principles that founded the United States of America.” He added, “Every person is made in the image of God. You judge them by what they do, not by what ethnic group they belong to.”
Vance’s remarks come amid rising concern over antisemitic voices gaining influence within major right-wing organizations, including Turning Point USA and the Heritage Foundation. Figures such as Nick Fuentes, who openly promote antisemitic conspiracies, continue to find platforms, including on shows hosted by Vance’s ally Tucker Carlson. Most recently, Carlson hosted Ian Carroll, a conspiracy theorist who falsely claimed “Israel did 9/11” and minimized the Holocaust, while framing Epstein as “working on behalf of Israel.”
Among Jewish conservatives, frustration is mounting over Vance’s reluctance to condemn these figures. Daniel Flesch, a Heritage policy analyst, criticized the vice president for equating antisemitism with other forms of prejudice, calling it “effectively the equivalent of @TheDemocrats’ ‘…and Islamophobia’ response.” Flesch stressed that antisemitism requires specific attention, separate from other social grievances.
Evangelical leader Laurie Cardoza-Moore, president of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, issued a scathing statement in response to Vance’s interview. “Tucker appears to have Vance in a trance,” she said. “It’s time for JD Vance to take a moral, Christian stand on antisemitism. There is no place for double talk on this matter.” Cardoza-Moore continued, “You don’t get to condemn hatred, while befriending the haters. This is not a time to turn the other cheek. The scourge of Jew-hatred must be banished from the conservative movement before it destroys it from within.”
Cardoza-Moore also addressed Vance’s reliance on Christian moral principles: “Mr. Vice President, you invoked Christian teachings about judging people by their actions, yet you appear to be blindsided by the hatred and actions of people like your friend Tucker Carlson. A clear line needs to be drawn in the sand on what is and is not acceptable. This is not about canceling people; it’s about advocating for the Judeo-Christian values upon which our Republic was founded.”
She called on President Donald Trump’s administration to explicitly condemn Carlson, Candace Owens, and Fuentes, describing their views as “an abomination to God” and a direct threat to the Constitution.
Vance’s statements reveal a deep tension within American conservatism: a struggle between moral clarity and political alliance. For Jewish conservatives and their evangelical allies, the message is clear—antisemitism cannot be dismissed or relativized. Those who fail to draw firm boundaries risk allowing Jew-hatred to flourish under the guise of political loyalty.
