The Right’s Nick Fuentes Problem — and Tucker Carlson’s Role in Mainstreaming It – The American Spectator

The Right’s Nick Fuentes Problem — and Tucker Carlson’s Role in Mainstreaming It

Ben Shapiro’s latest podcast episode, titled “Tucker Carlson Sabotages America,” offers little in the way of subtlety. In it, Shapiro portrays Carlson as a “super spreader of vile ideas,” a “coward,” a “terrible friend,” and a “master of gaslighting.”

In his Monday monologue, Shapiro did what few right-wing commentators have dared to do: openly draw a firm moral boundary and call out specific individuals. He argues that the American Right is being intentionally divided by a small but noisy faction of white identitarians centered around Nick Fuentes—one that Tucker Carlson has helped push into the conservative mainstream, a move even defended by major institutions like the Heritage Foundation.

Defining the Dispute

Shapiro clarifies that this controversy is not about free speech or so-called cancellation. He states that Fuentes has every legal right to speak, and Carlson has every right to interview him. However, Shapiro reiterates that while he opposes de-platforming Fuentes, whom he calls “odious and despicable,” free speech should not be confused with an entitlement to amplification on major conservative platforms.

“Free speech, properly understood, is freedom from government coercion — not a right to be promoted, signal-boosted, and flattered by major conservative platforms.”

Shapiro’s Moral Line

Ultimately, Shapiro insists this is a matter of moral principle. His argument centers on drawing clear ethical boundaries within conservatism rather than hiding behind the shield of free expression. In doing so, he challenges prominent voices on the Right to take responsibility for what—and whom—they choose to normalize.

Author’s summary: Ben Shapiro denounces Tucker Carlson for mainstreaming Nick Fuentes’s extremist faction, framing the issue as a moral divide within American conservatism.

The American Spectator — 2025-11-06