US Vice President JD Vance is at the center of a heated debate within the Republican Party, as accusations of rising antisemitism swirl and prominent conservative voices demand a stronger response. On December 5, 2025, Vance gave a wide-ranging interview to NBC News in which he firmly rejected claims that antisemitism is surging among Republicans, despite mounting concerns following recent high-profile incidents and controversial alliances within conservative circles.
"When I talk to young conservatives, I don’t see some simmering antisemitism that’s exploding," Vance told NBC News, marking his most direct public response yet to those raising alarm about the party’s direction. He insisted that, while problematic voices exist in any large movement, they do not define the Republican Party. "In any bunch of apples, you have bad people. But my attitude on this is we should be firm in saying antisemitism and racism are wrong. … I think it’s kind of slanderous to say that the Republican Party, the conservative movement, is extremely antisemitic," Vance said, according to World Israel News.
Vance’s remarks come at a time of acute tension within the GOP, as figures such as Nick Fuentes—a far-right activist who has openly expressed disdain for Jews—gain traction among young right-wing activists and staffers. Fuentes’s "groyper" movement has attracted a notable online following, particularly among junior Republican staffers, and his rhetoric has been widely condemned by Jewish conservatives and establishment figures alike. According to World Israel News, Fuentes has described "organized Jewry" as a threat to American unity, stoking fears of a deeper problem within the party’s ranks.
The controversy intensified after Tucker Carlson, a longtime ally of both Vance and President Donald Trump, hosted Fuentes on his podcast. This appearance drew sharp criticism from within the conservative movement, with Senator Ted Cruz and others arguing that it exposed a broader issue of antisemitism and extremism. As reported by both World Israel News and other outlets, Vance’s close relationship with Carlson—and his reluctance to directly criticize Fuentes—became a focal point of discussion at a recent gathering of Jewish conservatives.
At this same event, participants questioned Vance’s silence on the matter, particularly given his association with Carlson, who remains one of the most influential voices in conservative media. The issue has become a litmus test for Republican leaders, many of whom are under pressure to distance themselves from figures like Fuentes and to articulate a clear stance against hate speech.
Vance, for his part, has attempted to walk a careful line. While he has defended Carlson’s son, Buckley, from accusations of antisemitism, he has not addressed Carlson’s decision to interview Fuentes directly. In October 2025, Vance was also criticized for failing to acknowledge the antisemitic framing of a college student’s question about Jews and Israel, further fueling criticism from Jewish conservatives and commentators.
President Trump has publicly defended Carlson, stating, "You can’t tell him who to interview." Trump himself met with Fuentes and rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) at Mar-a-Lago in 2022, later claiming he was unaware of Fuentes’s background. This pattern of equivocation has left many observers frustrated, as the party grapples with how to confront the rise of explicitly antisemitic voices without alienating segments of its base.
Vance’s NBC interview also touched on his personal views regarding discrimination. He declared, "Judging anybody based on their skin color or immutable characteristics, I think, is fundamentally anti-American and anti-Christian." Vance, a convert to Catholicism, has previously spoken about his family’s religious diversity and his hope that his Hindu wife might one day become a Christian. His emphasis on the moral imperative to reject both antisemitism and racism reflects an effort to ground his position in broader American and religious values, even as he faces criticism for not going far enough in denouncing specific figures.
In a notable pivot during the interview, Vance offered praise for several progressive politicians, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Ro Khanna, and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. He described Mamdani, an avowed Socialist and supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, as "fascinating." Vance highlighted Mamdani’s focus on New York City’s affordability crisis, saying, "Most politicians, it’s a very low bar, but they don’t even listen to people. I would put Mamdani, Bernie and Ro Khanna in the category of those who, at least sometimes, they are."
Mamdani’s rise has been a source of unease for many Jewish groups. He has refused to condemn the slogan "Globalize the intifada" and once stated he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York, positions that have led nearly two-thirds of American Jews to view him as both anti-Israel and antisemitic, according to a recent poll cited by World Israel News. Despite this, Mamdani recently had a friendly meeting with President Trump at the White House, underscoring the complex alliances and shifting boundaries in today’s political landscape.
Vance’s willingness to express admiration for ideological opponents such as Mamdani, Sanders, and Khanna is unusual in the current hyper-partisan climate. He explained that, while he disagrees with their politics—"Obviously, I’m not a communist," he said—he respects their focus on real-world issues like housing affordability and their willingness to listen to constituents. This approach, Vance suggested, is all too rare among today’s politicians.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party remains divided over how to handle the influence of figures like Fuentes and the broader challenge of antisemitism within its ranks. Some, like Senator Cruz, have called for more direct action and condemnation, while others, including Vance and Trump, have opted for a more restrained response, emphasizing individual responsibility and the dangers of collective slander.
As the debate continues, the party’s future direction remains uncertain. The balance between upholding free speech, maintaining a big-tent coalition, and confronting hate speech is proving difficult to strike. For now, Vance’s comments have drawn both praise and criticism, reflecting the deep divisions not only within the GOP but also across American society as it grapples with questions of identity, inclusion, and the boundaries of acceptable discourse.
In a moment when political rhetoric is under intense scrutiny, Vance’s stance—firm in principle but cautious in practice—captures the complexities facing today’s leaders. The coming months will likely test whether his approach resonates with voters and colleagues alike, or whether the party will be compelled to take a more decisive stand against extremism in its ranks.
