In the wake of Charlie Kirk's brutal assassination, we're witnessing the grotesque spectacle of Nick Fuentes slithering into the spotlight.
First, for anyone who doesn't yet know, Fuentes is an unrepentant white nationalist and Holocaust denier, who despises Jews, Israel and all things Jewish.
Suddenly, he's saying things like "Don't be ridiculous- Israel didn't kill Charlie Kirk ... The people who say it's not the Jews, it's Israel. It's not Israel, it's Netanyahu- you can keep 'em. The shamelessness, her [Candace] and Max Bumenthal, with a ghoulish pale face, a nebbish. [Don't] tell me that's an honest broker. You can keep em. Candace Owens is as dumb as they come, Blumenthal is a Russia schill, left-wing midget Jackson Hinkle is dumb as a rock."
Sounds good, right? Shocking, but hopeful. Maybe Nick has turned a page and finally 'seen the light'.
Sadly, Nick is a calculating provocateur, peddling a mix of faux sympathy and his signature venom, all while eyeing the power vacuum left by Kirk's death.
Fuentes built his "Groyper" army by harassing mainstream conservatives like Kirk with antisemitic ambushes at events in 2019 and 2020, has suddenly discovered a sliver of "respect" for his "nemesis." In recent streams and posts, he's lamented Kirk's passing, admitting the conservative firebrand's work ethic "inspired" him despite their bitter rivalry. He even described the chilling moment he saw Kirk's Wikipedia page shift from "is" to "was," feigning devastation over the loss. But scratch the surface, and the rot emerges. Fuentes has called Erika Kirk's heartfelt tribute to her husband, an email to TPUSA members urging continued activism, "disgusting." Classy, Nick. Real empathetic.
And then there's the dog-whistle chorus: Fuentes has framed Kirk's murder as evidence of "pro-Israel capture" in the right-wing sphere, a thinly veiled antisemitic trope that echoes his lifelong obsession with blaming Jews for everything from cultural decay to political betrayals.
Then he says Israel didn't do it, trying to create a persona far removed from Candace Owens, who has been spreading conspiracy theories about Israel and the Mossad assassinating Charlie since he was killed. He is trying to become even more popular amongst conservatives. That's all this new pro-Israel thing is, Nick jumping on the bandwagon of being the rational voice amongst the conservatives.
He's quick to insist his followers were "framed" in early speculation about the shooter, Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old now facing aggravated murder charges and potentially the death penalty. Fuentes condemns the violence, but only after reflecting on his own "legacy" and mortality, as if Kirk's bloodied corpse is just another prop in his narcissistic theater. And then he calls Candace shameless for doing the same thing.
