From Social Media to the Campaign Trail: Antisemitism Goes Mainstream
Antisemitic rhetoric that was once confined to fringe online message boards has moved decisively into mainstream American politics and popular culture, according to a sweeping new investigation by USA Today as part of its “Extremely Normal” documentary series. The report profiles three key figures — far-right agitator Nick Fuentes, left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, and Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate James Fishback — tracing how social media amplification and the ongoing Gaza conflict have fueled a surge in anti-Jewish hatred.
Context
The normalization of antisemitism is unfolding against the backdrop of the war in Gaza and the broader U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents in the United States have remained at historically elevated levels. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025 — the third-highest year on record — including a record-high 203 physical assaults, up 4% from 2024. Assaults involving deadly weapons increased 39%, and three people were murdered in antisemitic attacks on U.S. soil.
Globally, the situation is equally alarming. A Tel Aviv University report found that 20 Jews were murdered in antisemitic attacks across three countries in 2025 — the highest number in more than 30 years. In New York City, the NYPD has reported more than 300 antisemitic attacks in each of the last three years, a fivefold increase from 59 such incidents in 2022.
Key Developments
James Fishback, a Republican candidate for Florida governor, has built his campaign around criticizing U.S. support for Israel, using antisemitic dog whistles including the term “goyslop” — a 4Chan-originated slur suggesting Jews force unhealthy food onto non-Jews. As JTA reported, Fishback defended the term as “funny” and “punchy,” telling USA Today: “I’m going to do things that are funny, that are punchy. I wish we would spend less time talking about word choice.” His rallies at the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida have drawn hundreds of supporters, including followers of Nick Fuentes’ “Groyper” movement.
Nick Fuentes, a 27-year-old Holocaust-denying internet troll and leader of the America First movement, has been normalizing antisemitic rhetoric for years. He gained mainstream publicity in 2025 through a fawning interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which sparked debate within conservative circles about the party’s tolerance for antisemitism.
Hasan Piker, a popular left-wing Twitch streamer with millions of followers, has been accused of antisemitism for using charged language against Israel, calling Orthodox Jews “inbred,” referring to a listener as a “bloodthirsty violent pig-dog” — a term long linked to antisemitism — and expressing support for Hamas. He defends his comments as legitimate criticism of Israel, telling USA Today: “I don’t think it matters that much anymore — I think anti-Semitism is now, at least in the eyes of a lot of people, no longer seen as a big deal at all.”
Analysis
The ADL maintains a roughly 10-page dossier on Piker and similar documents on other influencers it accuses of spreading antisemitic hate. “We bring the receipts,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told USA Today. “We’ve really just never seen a moment like this before. We seem, rather than progressing, to be regressing in how our society sees Jewish people, and that is not okay.”
A Yale Youth Poll from spring 2026 found that younger voters are significantly more likely to agree with antisemitic statements. Ten percent of voters aged 18-34 agreed with all three antisemitic statements tested, compared to just 2% of voters aged 65 and older. Only 21% of voters aged 18-34 agreed that Jewish Americans face more hate crimes than almost any other demographic group. The poll also found that voters who get their news from TikTok (41%), Instagram (39%), X/Twitter (38%), and Reddit (39%) were most likely to agree with antisemitic statements.
Oren Segal, ADL Senior Vice President, emphasized the human cost: “Behind every one of these incidents is a real person: a family threatened at their synagogue, a rabbi attacked on the street, a student harassed on campus.”
What’s Next
The mainstreaming of antisemitism raises urgent questions about the trajectory of American political discourse. Fishback’s campaign represents a test case for whether overtly anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric can succeed in a Republican primary. The generational divide identified by the Yale poll suggests that without targeted interventions — including education, platform regulation, and institutional responses — the normalization of anti-Jewish hatred may accelerate. The ADL noted that college campuses saw a 66% drop in antisemitic incidents in 2025, partly due to institutional responses, offering a model for what targeted action can achieve.