They Hate the Left, Love America, and Blame the Jews: How the Woke Right Mirrors the Left

Because the phenomenon of antisemitism signals decay within an ideology, institution, or state, its presence demands that we expose and confront that rot. Conversely, when certain ideas serve as a safeguard against antisemitism, we should affirm and promote them. Today’s antisemitism on the left, buttressed by Marxist and post-colonial frameworks that vilify power, have provided the perfect conditions for anti-Zionism to flourish. The antidote to accusations of “settler colonialism” or depicting Israel as a Nazi state, is thus patriotism, American and Judeo-Christian values.

But herein lies a dilemma posed by the “woke right”: If patriotism and Judeo-Christian values are virtuous, then how do we explain the proliferation of those on the political right who are in concert with those on the political left when it comes to Jews and global conspiracies? We can, of course, get some relief from blanket statements such as “no one is immune from the disease of antisemitism.” While this may very well be true, it still does not explain the phenomenon of antisemitism within a political party or ideology whose ideas safeguard against antisemitism.

To help illuminate the imbrication of right-wing and anti-Jewish ideas, it may be helpful to briefly mention a concerned mother who called in to the Charlie Kirk show to talk about her son who, as Charlie Kirk observed, is “now in depth” in antisemitism. Tellingly, before answering her question, Kirk remarked, “As soon as you were reading your question, as soon as you said, ‘my son had his eyes opened during COVID’ I could tell the cadence of the question, I wrote in our chat, her son has probably become in depth with antisemitic stuff. I knew it before you even asked your question.”

What tipped Charlie Kirk off? The term “woke right” began to gain traction around 2022, notably in the wake of the COVID pandemic. During the pandemic, the political divide in the United States widened dramatically. Many on the right saw it as a moment of awakening, urging people to see through what they viewed as misinformation propagated by the Democrats around COVID. This period also saw the rise of the BLM movement and widespread civil unrest. For those who identified as patriotic and committed to traditional American values, the country was being destabilized by left-wing politicians who exploited both COVID and BLM to spread discord and expand government control. And while it may well be true that left-wing politicians exploited COVID to consolidate power, what it may also have produced is a troubling convergence between right-wing and anti-Jewish ideas: the woke right.

The son who went “searching for truth” serves as a primary case study for those flummoxed by the rise of antisemitism within an ideology that claims to stand against it. This young man—whom Charlie Kirk rightly described as a white male—is now “deep in antisemitic stuff” precisely because his search for truth has taken him into the bottomless depths of the dark web. Substantially, his journey places him in the same corridors of curiosity that once gave rise to “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” the infamous forgery that claimed to expose a Jewish plot for global control.

And because history shows that antisemitism thrives in times of political instability, economic decline, and social unrest, these conditions almost inevitably drive people to look for a way out. And that search often requires not just an explanation for why everything is unraveling, but—crucially—a who: a scapegoat who can be blamed for the collapse. And, if, like the young man in question, you are a patriot who loves America and wants to succeed within it, the search for truth easily slips into conspiracy. And what is the ultimate conspiracy theory—the Ur-conspiracy? That Jews secretly rule the world. That Jews are the hidden force behind all that is broken.

Because history shows that antisemitism thrives in times of political instability, economic decline, and social unrest, these conditions almost inevitably drive people to look for a way out. And that search often requires not just an explanation for why everything is unraveling, but—crucially—a who: a scapegoat who can be blamed for the collapse.

What, then, is the “woke right”? Ironically, it mimics the ideological structure of the woke left. Both operate within a framework of grievance and blame. On the left, the oppressor is the colonizer; on the woke right, it is the eternal Jew—Der ewige Jude—accused of destabilizing world order from within. The woke right simply swaps the identity of the oppressor.

The discomfort deepens when we acknowledge that many on the right do love America. They value meritocracy, liberty, and tradition. So when they perceive threats to these ideals—whether through failed immigration policy, DEI, gender ideology, or Islamization—they begin searching for who is responsible. That search, unfortunately, often leads them to notice that many progressive ideas they oppose have Jewish champions. This is not a new phenomenon. Since the 19th century, Jews have played leading roles in various radical leftist movements. America’s communist movement, in particular, was significantly shaped by Jewish thinkers and activists. Several reasons help explain this pattern of Jewish involvement in the radical left—among them, the movement’s promise of inclusion and protection from antisemitism, as well as the influence of the Jewish tradition, which, through the concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), inspires a drive toward social justice.

So when a young man begins to connect the dots on his “truth quest,” he discovers, for example, that the first gender-neutral bathroom in New York City was in a Manhattan synagogue; or that Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) organized a #JewsAgainstDeportation campaign to protect immigrants at courthouses; or that the Jewish-led group Never Again Action launched a campaign against Trump’s immigration policies. And the foreseeable occurs: he “awakens” to a deeply troubling perception that many of the ideas he believes are causing America’s decline are, in his view, being promoted by Jews. Add to that a beleaguered sense of frustration over being unable to pay rent, cover taxes, or afford property, and you have the makings of a perfect storm.

Consequently, who can blame this young man for loving his country and wanting to eliminate threats to her? And while antisemitism on the left demands that we expunge certain left-wing values, antisemitism on the right does not require us to reject patriotism or American values. Rather, it requires a reminder that down the corridors of conservative corridors one will certainly encounter prominent Jews, some founders of the modern conservative movement: Stephen Miller, Milton Friedman, Leon Kass, Nathan Glazer, Paul Gottfried, and the beloved Ayn Rand, to name a few.

While antisemitism on the left demands that we expunge certain left-wing values, antisemitism on the right does not require us to reject patriotism or American values. Rather, it requires a reminder that down the corridors of conservative corridors one will certainly encounter prominent Jews.

More importantly, however, the presence of antisemitism within the woke right requires us to identify and confront beleaguered narratives driven by a framework that is both unhealthy and fundamentally un-American. In short, if being “woke” means seeing oneself as a victim of power dynamics, then its influence on the right must be rejected—because America is not built on grievance but on meritocracy, liberty, and personal accountability. Just as antisemitism on the left compels us to confront the Marxist ideas that fuel it, its emergence on the woke right demands a deeper question: What does this antisemitism expose about the ideological core of the woke right?

Naya Lekht is currently the Education Editor for White Rose Magazine and a Research Fellow for the Institute for Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy.