Cornell Student Defends Antisemitic Internship Rejection

Austin Franco, the 19-year-old Cornell student who went viral for refusing an internship at a Jewish-founded startup, appeared on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" on July 28 to defend his antisemitic remark, and provided no apology, only escalation.

During the interview, Franco doubled down. He defended his statement that he did not want to work with Jews, saying that he did not like most of the Jews he had met. When pressed, he offered a non-denial: "Not wanting to be around Jewish people does not mean you don't like them," and claimed one of his exes "was half-Jewish."

Franco accused Jews of "making my life a living hell" and made positive references to "America First," the Trump-led nativist movement embraced by the far right.

Morgan was unsparing. He called Franco "stupid" and a "brazen antisemite," stating: "The problem, Austin, it's not that you said something immature or stupid or anything like that because had you then said, 'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it. I don't mean the way it came across,' but it's the opposite with you."

The incident began in May when Franco applied for an internship at VryfID, a software startup founded by Jewish brothers Gabe and Aiden Einhorn. In his application via Cornell's Handshake job platform, Franco wrote: "Not interested in working for a Jew."

Since going viral, Franco has faced family rejection. On the Piers Morgan interview, Franco admitted that his family was unhappy about what had happened, and that his and their views have 'diverged over the past 4 years.' His parents deemed him "unemployable," and according to the New York Post days after the Morgan interview, they have kicked him out of their Virginia home, calling his views "morally repugnant."

Franco has since launched fundraisers on GiveSendGo and other platforms seeking donations to cover living expenses near campus. He has raised over $8,000 on GiveSendGo and approximately $25,000 across multiple campaigns. The GiveSendGo campaign was titled: "Fund Austin Franco after Jewish doxxing" and stated: "His career and financial future is at stake, I ask that you help fund a good Christian man." The campaign was launched by a far-right extremist YouTuber who previously said he hoped to see "another Hitler."

Cornell condemned Franco's remarks but said no disciplinary action is planned. Cornell's president, Michael Kotlikoff, stated: "As a university built on the solid foundations of our nation's democratic freedoms, Cornell has an obligation to fiercely defend freedom of speech, even when we find that speech abhorrent." Franco remains enrolled.