The remarks came amid a broader discussion on Jewish identity, historical claims to the land and comparisons to Palestinian ancestry. Carlson argued that some Palestinians may have deeper genetic roots in the region than certain Jewish immigrants from Europe, questioning the basis of Israel's demographic policies if ancestry is invoked theologically.
Huckabee pushed back, expressing unease with basing rights on "blood" and stating, "I have no idea what that would prove... I'm comfortable with secular nation states where it's none of this is done on the basis of blood. I'm uncomfortable with that." He defended Jewish historical continuity through archaeology, scripture and faith, without supporting the testing idea.
Critics, including pro-Israel activist Laura Loomer, accused Carlson of promoting eugenics-like concepts and antisemitism, claiming the proposal amounts to forcing "every single Jew to take a DNA test."
Loomer described Carlson as a "rabid Jew hater" in social media posts. Others linked the comments to Carlson's past statements, such as a December 2025 interview where he noted restrictions on commercial DNA testing in Israel due to privacy and identity concerns, though such tests are regulated, not banned, in the country.
Carlson has not directly addressed the eugenics allegations but has faced broader scrutiny for the interview, which also included now debunked claims of brief detention at an Israeli airport, a detail Huckabee dismissed as routine security.
