
MAGA Civil War over Israel Erupts into the Open at Turning Point USA Conference
Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest gathering in Phoenix became a public stage for sharp disagreements inside the Make America Great Again movement about Israel and about the movement’s relationship with figures accused of antisemitism. The conference was the first major Turning Point gathering since the murder of founder Charlie Kirk, and it featured prominent speakers taking direct aim at one another. The disputes were framed not only as policy disagreements but as clashes over moral boundaries and the kind of voices that should be welcomed or rejected.
On Thursday, December 18, 2025, and Friday, December 19, 2025, leading figures used their speeches to denounce rivals and accuse opponents of either legitimizing extremists or weaponizing the memory of Kirk. Ben Shapiro opened with a pointed critique of Tucker Carlson, focusing on Carlson’s decision to conduct an uncritical interview with Nick Fuentes, a self-described white nationalist. Shapiro argued that granting such a platform elevated someone he viewed as fundamentally dangerous and hostile.
Shapiro returned to the theme repeatedly, saying that Fuentes should not have been given publicity and that those with large audiences carry moral responsibility for who they amplify. He also broadened his criticism beyond one interview, urging conservative leaders to confront conspiratorial claims and to call out those who spread them rather than excusing or ignoring the harm they cause. The conflict was presented as part of a larger battle over whether a political coalition can remain cohesive when its members disagree about how to treat extremist rhetoric and antisemitic insinuations.
(TOI/VFI News)
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