A new bipartisan resolution aimed at curbing antisemitism on social media has sparked a fierce backlash from prominent media figures Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, who argue the move is a thinly veiled attempt to criminalize political dissent.
The controversy centers on a resolution introduced on April 29 by Republican Representative Mike Lawler of New York and Democratic Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey.
The measure urges social media platforms to “take appropriate steps” to enforce hate speech policies and scrub “antisemitic rhetoric” from their sites.
However, during a Thursday segment on The Megyn Kelly Show, the two commentators accused lawmakers and media figures like CNN’s Jake Tapper of leveraging the resolution to silence critics of the Israeli government and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
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Carlson framed the issue as a matter of opposing violence, stating he rejects the “program of hate” he associates with the lawmakers’ foreign policy goals. He claimed the resolution is a precursor to outright internet censorship, funded by U.S. taxpayers at the behest of a foreign government.
“Anyone who criticizes ethnic cleansing in Gaza is guilty of hate and embedding violence,” Carlson said, describing the logic of his detractors. “I’m not falling for that. They’re absolutely going to censor the internet.”
Kelly echoed these concerns, drawing parallels to previous social media crackdowns on topics such as gender identity. She argued that labeling political criticism as “hate speech” creates a dangerous precedent that allows powerful lobbies to dictate public discourse.
Kelly specifically noted that activists are increasingly conflating criticism of the state of Israel with antisemitism, despite the two being distinct concepts. “This resolution is conflating the two,” Kelly said. “If you say hateful things about Israel or this war, these guys want to censor you.”
The resolution specifically names podcasters Hasan Piker and Candace Owens, citing Owens’ claim that the U.S. government is influenced by “satanic pedophiles who work for Israel” as a primary example of antisemitic content.
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While Lawler and Gottheimer focus on platform moderation, other figures have called for more drastic measures. Fox News host Mark Levin recently argued on Liberty’s Voice that social media companies should de-platform “Nazis” and suggested that those criticizing Israel are effectively inciting violence.
This debate has also created a rift between the media personalities and Donald Trump. While Carlson and Kelly have slammed the Iran conflict as an “evil” violation of Trump’s previous anti-war pledges, the former President has sided with the pro-interventionist camp. On April 17, Trump dismissed Carlson and Kelly as “low IQ” individuals seeking “cheap publicity.”
Recent reports from The New York Times indicate that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu successfully convinced Trump of the necessity of the war during a February meeting, a move the State Department later confirmed was undertaken on behalf of Israeli interests.
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