Sen. Ted Cruz has openly criticized his Republican colleagues for their silence on Tucker Carlson, accusing them of being too fearful to confront the broadcaster's recent controversial actions. During a speech at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention in Washington, Cruz condemned Carlson for hosting avowed white supremacist Nick Fuentes on his podcast, describing the influence of Carlson's platform as a "profoundly dangerous" poison.

Cruz highlighted the internal conflict Carlson's actions have spurred within conservative circles, notably affecting last week’s Republican Jewish Coalition annual summit and causing significant upheaval at The Heritage Foundation. This turmoil has even led to the resignation of several staff members at the foundation.

Identifying himself as a "Christian Zionist," Cruz has been vocal about his concerns regarding antisemitism within the right wing, stating that he has observed more antisemitism in the past six months than in his entire lifetime. He expressed his discontent at the RJC, emphasizing the responsibility to denounce not just Fuentes, but also Carlson for not challenging the hateful rhetoric aired on his show.

During his address, Cruz pushed for a more forthright condemnation from his peers, questioning their readiness to not only denounce Fuentes but to explicitly criticize Carlson by name. "Fuentes and Tucker and the rest of that ilk have a right to say what they are saying," Cruz stated. "Every one of us has an obligation to stand up and say it is wrong."

Cruz previously clashed with Carlson in a heated podcast episode in June, where he criticized Carlson for not disputing Fuentes' antisemitic and bigoted remarks during their discussion. Despite his strong stance, Carlson has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.

This bold confrontation by Cruz underscores a growing rift within the Republican Party, as members grapple with how to handle extremist elements within their ranks without alienating a segment of their base that tunes into Carlson's influential platform.