Republican senator questions Trump nominee over 'white culture' views

Jeremy Carl's nomination to State Department role faces backlash over controversial comments on race and religion

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A routine U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing became heated as Jeremy Carl, President Donald Trump's nominee to become the Assistant Secretary of State for the United Nations and International Organizations, faced intense questioning from both Democratic and Republican senators over his past controversial statements on 'white culture', anti-Semitism, and the 'great replacement theory'.

Why it matters

Carl's nomination has raised concerns about whether he can represent the United States in an unbiased manner at the United Nations, given his history of making inflammatory comments that favor white Christian culture over diversity and inclusion. The hearing highlighted deep divisions within the Republican party over issues of race and identity.

The details

During the roughly two-hour hearing, the bulk of the time was spent focused on Carl and his extensive social media posting, speeches and writings that blamed the Jews for victimhood, claimed that 'white culture' was being erased, and that Jan. 6 protestors were treated worse than African-Americans during the Jim Crow era. Carl's answers ranged from doubling-down to apologizing to claiming his comments were taken out of context.

  • The Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing took place on Thursday.
  • Carl was nominated by President Trump last year.

The players

Jeremy Carl

President Donald Trump's nominee to become the Assistant Secretary of State for the United Nations and International Organizations, who has a history of making controversial statements on race, religion and gender.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

A Democratic senator from New Hampshire who questioned Carl about his past anti-Semitic and racist comments.

Sen. Cory Booker

A Democratic senator from New Jersey who challenged Carl over his endorsement of the 'great replacement theory'.

Sen. John Curtis

A Republican senator from Utah who expressed concerns about Carl's nomination and its potential to split the GOP.

Greg Gianforte

The Republican governor of Montana who appointed Carl to the board of Humanities Montana, despite protests from some cultural leaders.

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What they’re saying

“Mr. Carl, you have argued that feminism has led to a downfall in American society. You've written that the Civil Rights Act has warped our culture and that the United States should be a white, Christian nation.”

— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic senator from New Hampshire

“Jews have loved to play the victim. The Holocaust dominates so much of modern Jewish history. Jews love to see themselves as oppressed.”

— Jeremy Carl (Christian Ghetto podcast)

“Mr. Carl's vile and anti-Semitic threats are very real. Some may try to excuse Mr. Carl's remarks that they were taken out of context or that his own heritage (Carl has some Jewish ancestry, according to him) protects him from criticism. So let's be clear: Identity does not excuse anti-Semitism. Identity doesn't excuse racism. Identity does not excuse hateful rhetoric regardless of who said them. Words matter.”

— Sen. Jacky Rosen, Democratic senator from Nevada

“You think this country's greatness depends upon its ethnic diversity as long as white people have more numbers. That does not sound like a nation with the belief that all people are created equal. And equal before the eyes of God. It sounds like you have a racial hierarchy. There is no way for me to read this any other way. This is the United States of America. One nation under God, but you cut us up and divide us along racial lines.”

— Sen. Cory Booker, Democratic senator from New Jersey

What’s next

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will decide whether to advance Carl's nomination to the full Senate for a vote.

The takeaway

This hearing underscores the deep divisions within the Republican party over issues of race, identity, and the role of the United States in the world. Carl's controversial views have alienated both Democrats and some Republicans, raising questions about whether he can effectively represent American interests at the United Nations.