(José Niño, Headline USA) Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued an urgent call for Republican leadership to actively combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism within the party, warning that tolerance of such views will prove catastrophic for the conservative movement.
Speaking with host Gabe Groisman on the landmark 100th episode of the Standpoint podcast—released December 28 following Groisman’s attendance at a White House Hanukkah celebration—Pompeo acknowledged growing concerns about antisemitic sentiment emerging in Republican circles.
“We have to call out those, if we agree with them on 90% of the issues, and yet they’re anti-Zionists, or they’re anti-Semitic, we have to call it what it is,” Pompeo stated emphatically during the wide-ranging discussion on U.S.-Israel relations and foreign policy.
The former CIA Director rejected the notion that shared agreement on conservative priorities—whether limited government, lower taxes, or pro-life stances—should excuse antisemitic behavior or rhetoric. He argued that Republican leaders bear responsibility not merely to identify such conduct but to articulate why it fundamentally contradicts conservative and Republican values.
Pompeo acknowledged the difficulty party members face when confronting friends and political allies who express antisemitic views. “I think that’s sometimes the hard part is to say, gosh, Joe’s my friend and Joe said something anti-Semitic and I don’t wanna make Joe mad that Joe agrees with me on, being pro-life or whatever it may be,” he explained.
Yet he insisted such personal relationships cannot override principle. “You can agree with me about what the right marginal tax rate is on capital gains. You cannot allow disagreement on this issue to creep inside of our party because it will be poisonous and it will grow and metastasize in ways that will be really difficult to get back,” Pompeo warned.
The former Secretary of State expressed cautious optimism about recent Republican responses to antisemitic incidents within party ranks. He noted that over recent weeks and months, several conservatives have stepped forward to denounce behavior inconsistent with support for Jewish people and Zionism, declaring such conduct “out of bounds” and “unacceptable.”
However, Pompeo acknowledged uncertainty about how to reverse antisemitic trends in broader American politics. “The ability to get this back has proven incredibly difficult. I think Senator Fetterman would say he doesn’t know the path, to get it back. I don’t either,” he admitted, expressing hope that individuals will eventually recognize righteous behavior.
He concluded by emphasizing the Republican Party’s historical commitment to Jewish causes and Israel. “Inside our party, we’ve got a long, consistent history and we need to protect and preserve that,” Pompeo declared.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
