Politics · United States · 11 hrs ago
John Oliver warns Republicans face a crossroads over far-right extremism
On Sunday’s “Last Week Tonight,” John Oliver warned the Republican Party is at a crossroads over its links to far-right figures.
He cited examples including Republican congressional candidate Peter Oberacker, who posted a Veterans Day photo of his grandfather in a Nazi German uniform.
Oberacker said it was the only photo he had of his grandfather.
Oliver also criticized public figures and candidates for actions or statements he said showed antisemitism, racism or Nazi sympathies.
He pointed to Nick Fuentes’s growing ties with Republican figures, including Tucker Carlson’s interview with him and past appearances at events involving Republican politicians.
Oliver said Republicans risk letting white nationalists, neo-Nazis and bigots shape the party’s next phase.
The warning comes ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as the party’s future leadership is being decided.
He urged Republicans to stand up against extremism, but no specific action or response was described.
John Oliver warned that the Republican Party is at a crossroads as far-right and Nazi-related figures gain visibility in its ranks.
He made the comments on HBO’s Last Week Tonight ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Oliver cited Republican candidates and political figures, including Peter Oberacker, and the prominence given to neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes.
Oberacker said a photograph of his grandfather in a Wehrmacht uniform was the only one he had of him.
Oliver said Republicans needed to stand against extremism or risk it defining the party’s future.
- Who
- John Oliver, host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight. He criticized the Republican Party’s apparent tolerance of far-right extremism.
- What
- Oliver warned that the party was at a crossroads amid the rise of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and bigots.
- When
- Sunday’s episode, ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
- Where
- On HBO’s Last Week Tonight. The episode’s location is not stated.
- Why
- Oliver said the party had become too comfortable with Nazi-adjacent figures and needed to stand against them.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Peter Oberacker posted a Veterans Day photograph of his grandfather in a Wehrmacht uniform, according to Variety.
Republican Congressman Paul Gosar gave the keynote speech at Nick Fuentes’s America First Political Action Conference.
Marjorie Taylor Greene gave the keynote speech at Fuentes’s conference, and Donald Trump dined with Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago in November.
Karl Rove warned at the Texas Tribune Festival that the Republican Party was being taken over by bigots.
Oliver returned to Last Week Tonight after a two-week absence and warned that the Republican Party was at a crossroads.
The midterm elections were scheduled to take place.
- Host
- John Oliver
- Programme
- Last Week Tonight
- Midterm election date
- November 3
- Candidate
- Peter Oberacker, Republican candidate for New York’s 19th congressional district
- Photo date
- 2015
- Conference
- America First Political Action Conference
3 sources
What people are saying
Make no mistake, this party is at a crossroads right now
Their current leader is, by the standards of both the constitution and even the most generous cardiologist, on his way out.
It does feel that the Republican Party has been getting way too comfortable with some, at best, Nazi-adjacent shit
it was simply the only photo he had of his grandfather