GOP lawmakers slam Tucker Carlson’s 'deeply disturbing' interview with 'repugnant Holocaust denier'

05 September 2024

Tucker Carlson has a history of doing very friendly interviews with controversial figures on the far right, from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Russian President Vladimir Putin (who he interviewed during a visit to Moscow).

Now, according to Jewish Insider's Matthew Kassel, the former Fox News host is drawing criticism for a "friendly interview" with Holocaust denier Darryl Cooper.

Kassel explains, "Carlson, who helms an independent streaming service, has continued to invite a range of controversial figures onto his show, including some guests who have promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories as well as anti-Israel sentiments that he has abstained from challenging. But his decision to host a self-proclaimed podcast historian, Darryl Cooper — who has praised Adolf Hitler and believes Winston Churchill was the 'chief villain' of World War II — has drawn unusually fierce criticism from top [Republican Party] members."

Kassel adds, "In the interview, Cooper diminished the Holocaust by claiming that 'millions of prisoners of war' had 'ended up dead' in concentration camps, suggesting the Nazis did not have genocidal aims against Jews but were simply 'unprepared' for the war, among other false assertions."

Some of the criticism has come from Dani Dayan, who heads Yad Vashem and slammed the interview as "repugnant Holocaust denial."

Because Carlson is such a prominent figure in right-wing media, Kassel notes, many Republicans serving in Congress "have been reluctant to publicly criticize" him.

But Rep. Mike Lawler (R-New York) told Jewish Insider, "Platforming known Holocaust revisionists is deeply disturbing — during my time in the State Assembly, I worked with Democrats and Republicans to help pass legislation aimed at ensuring all students in New York received proper education on the Holocaust — something Mr. Cooper clearly never had."

GOP fundraiser Eric Levine described Carlson as a "very troubling person" whose views are not helpful to 2024 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Levine told Jewish Insider, "I continue to believe that Donald Trump is best served by appealing to the center of the party. We can hit the Ronald Reagan wing of the party to appeal to Reagan Republicans, moderates, independents, women. I just think that's a more fertile area for votes, and I would encourage him to focus there and distinguish himself from Kamala Harris on policy."

Read Jewish Insider's full report at this link.

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