Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly Critique Bipartisan Censorship Efforts

Tucker Carlson, co-founder of the Daily Caller News Foundation, and Megyn Kelly from SiriusXM expressed their concerns on Thursday regarding bipartisan initiatives aimed at regulating so-called “hate speech” online.

Representatives Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, and Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, introduced a resolution on April 29. This resolution urges social media platforms to take action against what is termed “anti-Semitic rhetoric.” During a discussion on Kelly’s show, Carlson and Kelly criticized these lawmakers, alongside CNN’s Jake Tapper, for what they believe is an attempt to silence those who voice dissent about Israel and the Iran conflict.

“I truly oppose violence against innocent people,” Carlson noted. “That is my primary issue. It’s not that I have anything personal against them; I feel a sense of pity for them. I simply cannot support their agenda of hatred and violence. It’s amusing to me that they label anyone who critiques the ethnic cleansing in Gaza as spreading hate. They clearly aim to use taxpayer money to censor the Internet, presumably at the request of the Israeli government.”

“It’s vital for social media companies to learn from their experiences,” Kelly added. “They’ve been limiting discussions around transgender issues for years. You can’t call it a disease or admit that gender confusion exists without facing backlash. A powerful lobby has pressured these platforms to label this as hate speech. This whole concept of hate speech can be perilous, especially since I’ve always been under the impression that it’s acceptable to criticize Israel without facing backlash.”

Kelly also pointed out how some pro-Israel advocates mix up criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, despite the two not being mutually exclusive.

“This misunderstanding within the pro-Israel community is what the resolution is playing into. It implies that if you say something negative about Israel or the ongoing war, you should be silenced,” she explained.

The resolution specifically critiques podcasters Hasan Piker and Candace Owens for their remarks on Jews and Israel. Owens was accused of claiming that the U.S. government is manipulated by “satanic pedophiles working for Israel,” which was labeled as an “anti-Semitic claim.”

To address alleged hate speech, Lawler and Gottheimer have urged social media platforms to implement and enforce policies that curtail the spread of anti-Semitic content.

Mark Levin, a host on FOX News, chimed in, advocating for social media to deplatform individuals he labels “Nazis,” asserting that critics of Israel endorse violence.

Carlson and Kelly have found themselves at odds with President Donald Trump regarding the Iran conflict, with Carlson describing it as a blatant breach of Trump’s promise to avoid foreign wars. Carlson accused Trump of seeking attention for his podcast, criticizing his intelligence in a recent Truth Social post.

Recent reports detail that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials successfully persuaded Trump of the necessity for war during a meeting at the White House in February. The U.S. State Department’s acknowledgment of government formations on April 21 indicated direct U.S. involvement in the conflict on Israel’s behalf.