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U.S. Vice President JD Vance has criticized “scumbags” for attacking his staff after a self-proclaimed journalist questioned whether his deputy press secretary was “a vile bigot.”
Sloan Rachmuth had posted about Buckley Carlson, Vance’s deputy press secretary and the son of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, claiming “racism and antisemitism is a Carlson family trait” amid the ongoing fallout from Tucker Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes. Vance said he had “zero tolerance for scumbags attacking my staff,” in response.
Rachmuth told Newsweek: “I’m pleased to say that I have received an overwhelming amount of support from members of the conservative movement and the Republican Party. Christian and Jewish leaders have reached out to me for support as well.” She added that she hadn’t heard from anyone in the Carlson family since she posted her tweets.
Newsweek reached out to Vance and Buckley Carlson to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
The social media spat came after Tucker Carlson stoked controversy in October for interviewing far-right commentator Fuentes, a Holocaust denier and extremist who has praised Adolf Hitler. It shows controversy from that interview is ongoing and is affecting other figures in American politics.
Meanwhile, American politics has become increasingly polarized in recent years with the rise of social media sparking conversations about the line between free speech and allowing unbridled discourse, including hate speech.
What To Know
Writing on X, Rachmuth, an investigative journalist with 48,000 followers on the platform, said: “Today, we learned that Tucker Carlson’s brother idolizes Nick Fuentes. Racism and antisemitism is a Carlson family trait. Is Tucker’s son Buckley, who serves as JD Vance’s top aide also a vile bigot? America deserves to know how deep the Carlson’s family ethnic and religious hatred runs.” She did not expand or offer evidence to support this view.
In response, Vance wrote on X: “Sloan Rachmuth is a ‘journalist’ who has decided to obsessively attack a staffer in his 20s because she doesn’t like the views of his father. Every time I see a public attack on Buckley it’s a complete lie. And yes, I notice ever person with an agenda who unfairly attacks a good guy who does a great job for me.”
He continued: “Sloan describes herself as a defender of ‘Judeo-Christian Values.’ Is it a ‘Judeo-Christian value’ to lie about someone you don’t know? Not in any church I ever spent time in!”
In another post, he said: “I have an extraordinary tolerance for disagreements and criticisms from the various people in our coalition. But I am a very loyal person, and I have zero tolerance for scumbags attacking my staff. And yes, *everyone* who I’ve seen attack Buckley with lies is a scumbag.”
Rachmuth wrote back: “Mr. Vice President, that ‘someone I don’t know’ is one of your top advisors [sic] being paid with taxpayer funds. It’s not the guy who trims your shrubs or cuts your hair. And YES, defending Judeo-Christian values entails speaking out against the antisemitism that’s tearing our nation apart. It also involves questioning those at the highest level of government about their hires, and speaking truth to power when needed. Sir, shall I remain quiet while Jews like me are being targeted by massive media platforms, and while our country is being destroyed by hate?? Or can I continue to ask questions and fight against injustices without being unfairly questioned about my loyalty to my country? I look forward to hearing back from you.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump told reporters in November: “You can’t tell [Tucker Carlson] who to interview—if he wants to interview Nick Fuentes, I don’t know much about him, but if he wants to do it…you know people have to decide, ultimately the people have to decide.”
Nick Fuentes shared a video clip of this quote with the caption: “Thank you Mr. President!”
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro referenced the term “groypers,” used to describe Fuentes’ supporters, when he said in a post on X: “No to the groypers. No to cowards like Tucker Carlson, who normalize their trash. No to those who champion them. No to demoralization. No to bigotry and anti-meritocratic horses***. No to anti-Americanism. No.”
What Happens Next
The fallout from the Fuentes interview looks set to continue.
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