Firing Line with Margaret Hoover Bari Weiss on the ‘perfect storm’ fueling antisemitism in America
Jan 3, 2026
Bari Weiss, a renowned journalist and founder of The Free Press, dives deep into the unsettling rise of antisemitism in America. She outlines three major catalysts fueling this trend: post-truth politics, a weakened political center, and the rapid spread of misinformation. Weiss shares personal reflections on the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue attack and critiques antisemitism on both the right, notably through conspiracy theories, and the left, often disguised as social justice. Her insights challenge perceptions of Jewish identity and discuss the implications of political rhetoric.
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Perfect Storm For Antisemitism
- A perfect storm — post-truth culture, political polarization, and viral technology — creates fertile ground for antisemitism.
- Bari Weiss warns that conspiracy theories spread faster when truth and centrist guardrails weaken.
Tree Of Life Changed Her View
- Bari Weiss recounts the Tree of Life massacre as a shattering moment for her sense of safety as an American Jew.
- That attack ended her illusion that America is uniquely protected from historic Jew-hatred.
Antisemitism As Conspiracy Theory
- Antisemitism is distinct because it centers on a conspiracy claiming Jews secretly control the world.
- That belief casts Jews as an almost anti-human force rather than merely a marginalized group.