The far Left and the far Right have once again found a common enemy. Online, Jews are increasingly scapegoated in Western societies, subjected to gaslighting, conspiracy theories, and blood libels. If the mainstream on both sides doesn’t act now, the fringe risks becoming the new norm.
Between New York City’s recent mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani (a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist and vocal anti-Zionist) and the vicious antisemitic rhetoric from right-wing podcasters like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, most American Jews feel politically homeless. We are watching how the horseshoe theory of antisemitism is coming to life in mainstream politics.
The broader horseshoe theory suggests that extremists are all the same, that both the far-left and far-right (though seemingly at opposite ends of the political spectrum) can end up sharing strikingly similar attitudes or behaviors, especially around extremism whether it be on issues surrounding free speech, populism, distrusting science, or rejecting institutions, both these political extremes curve hack to one another.
When it comes to Jews, this convergence is especially clear: far-right and far-left antisemites sound almost identical: both place Jews at the center of evil and power. We see this in real time, with Jews (or the Jewish state) scapegoated for America’s problems.
Far-right antisemitism often portrays Jews as powerful global elites secretly controlling governments, media, and finance. The far Left, meanwhile, frequently frames Jews (especially Israelis or Zionists) as colonial oppressors or symbols of Western imperialism, erasing Jewish peoplehood and denying Jews’ right to self-determination. In the end, both approaches lead to the same result: scapegoating Jews, isolating them from society, and justifying harm against them.
The horseshoe theory is on full display when Mamdani links US police brutality to Israel, stating, “We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF,” or when Owens suggests on her podcast that Israel played a role in Charlie Kirk’s murder because 12 Israeli cellphones were in the crowd.
Many argue that this discourse remains on the fringes and hasn’t entered mainstream politics. Level-headed observers have called out Owens’s rhetoric as unrepresentative of mainstream conservatism, and some say Mamdanism is being catastrophized. While we aren’t on the brink of pogroms in the US, we should be concerned about these illiberal radicals seeping into American culture, and doing so in a subtle, insidious way.
In my long career in journalism, public diplomacy, and activism, I have never witnessed this level of antisemitic dog-whistling, so subtly packaged as “criticism” or “just asking questions.”
So what can be done about it now?
Both sides must take a strong, vocal stance against fringe elements within their movements and recognize that these extremists cannot be considered allies or part of their coalitions. Center-left Democrats, for example, have long failed to rein in far-left activists in their ranks. They must confront anti-capitalist, identity-driven, moral absolutist elements who undermine America. Their inability to disavow groups promoting slogans like “globalize the intifada” or “death to America,” along with other missteps (such as hiding Joe Biden’s mental state or unpopular appointments like Kamala Harris), is what cost them the elections.
It’s hard to argue that the far Left hasn’t entered the mainstream when figures like Mamdani and AOC have gained such widespread popularity. The stakes of silence from the center against these radicals cannot be ignored. Even if you don’t care about fighting antisemitism in your political bubble, at the very least, you must define what is politically unacceptable within your group, or risk its normalization. It begins with Jews, but the lesson is broader: though the far Left and far Right claim to oppose each other, their shared scapegoating of Jews shows that extremism can look the same, regardless of ideology.
We are in a vulnerable position in the fight for the West. This is no longer simply conservatism versus liberalism; extremists on both sides are challenging the very foundations of Western values. This is not about cancel culture or limiting free speech; it is about confronting extremists who actively erode democracy, promote hatred, and normalize antisemitism. Politicians and leaders must stop treating these radicals as part of their base and instead speak to the mainstream public, those not seduced by radical ideologies and who still value pluralism, human rights, and the rule of law.
The future of Western values, and the safety of vulnerable communities like Jews, depends on vocal, principled opposition to extremism on all sides before it becomes the new normal.