(José Niño, Headline USA) The president of the World Jewish Congress made an extraordinary historical comparison at a Manhattan gala, likening prominent conservative media figures like Tucker Carlson to antisemitic voices that dominated American airwaves during the 1930s.
Ronald Lauder used the organization’s annual Theodor Herzl Award gala last Monday to sound an alarm about what he described as a dangerous resurgence of antisemitism in American public discourse.
His remarks targeted Carlson, drawing an explicit parallel to Father Charles Coughlin, whose antisemitic radio broadcasts in the 1930s reached millions.
“Father Coughlin was the Tucker Carlson of the 1930s and radio was a Tik Tok and YouTube of the era,” Lauder told the assembled guests, during his speech at the event.
The cosmetics heir and prominent Republican donor did not stop with historical analogy. He continued by describing what he views as a repeating pattern. “Today, we see a similar pattern playing right in front of our eyes,” he said. “Big names with millions of followers are using the same old lies that Jews control the government, the media, our nation’s foreign policies. The same lies our parents and grandparents heard. Only now it’s been adopted by young people who have been indoctrinated in this.”
His remarks came amid significant turmoil within conservative organizations like the Heritage Foundation over Carlson’s recent three hour interview with Nick Fuentes, as Headline USA previously covered. During that conversation, Fuentes expressed views that Jews are unassimilatable and claimed that organized Jewry in America poses challenges to social harmony.
The fallout proved swift and divisive. According to the Washington Post, multiple organizations resigned from the Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther antisemitism task force after the organization’s president defended Carlson.
Lauder used his platform to advocate for sweeping legislative changes in American education. He argued that establishing more Jewish schools represents an insufficient response to rising antisemitism per a report by Jewish Insider. “The entire education system — K-12 to college — must be retaught. Laws must be passed that will focus on no racism, no antisemitism and no anti-Western civilization being taught,” Lauder proclaimed.
The gala honored Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Sen. John Fetterman, D-P.a., with the organization’s highest recognition for their dedication to combating antisemitism.
Lauder praised both for standing publicly in defense of Israel and the Jewish people when others remained silent or sided with terror groups. Stefanik, who announced her candidacy for New York governor shortly afterward, vowed to continue fighting until every Jewish student can walk across campus without fear.
Fetterman, appearing via video because of a Senate vote, called standing with Israel the proudest achievement of his Senate career, according to a recap by the World Jewish Congress.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
