The Charlie Kirk Show

Episode: What Gen Z Thinks About Israel — Thoughts From Our SAS Focus Group

Date: September 2, 2025
Host: Charlie Kirk
Podcast Description: Charlie Kirk moderates a candid focus group with Gen Z conservatives at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit (SAS) in Tampa, Florida, exploring their thoughts on Israel, U.S. foreign aid, anti-Semitism, and generational priorities.

Overview

In this episode, Charlie Kirk hosts a live focus group with young conservatives, delving into Gen Z’s complex and often ambivalent views on Israel. The group discussion addresses foreign aid, American priorities, the rise of anti-Semitism, and the evolving relationship conservative youth have with longstanding pro-Israel positions in the U.S. The conversation is raw, unscripted, and provides a surprisingly diverse array of opinions within a conservative context.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Gen Z’s First Associations with Israel

• Word Association Game: Charlie prompts the group to share the first word that comes to mind when they hear “Israel.”
  • Responses include: “Judaism,” “Aid,” “Netanyahu,” “Tax dollars,” “Liability,” “Sacred,” “Conflict,” “Complex,” “Controversial,” “Scary,” and “Strategic.” [03:00]
• Quote:
  • “Of all the different things that would come to mind, why does their intelligence service come to mind?...that would basically imply your first impression is one of doubt. Is that fair to say?” — Charlie Kirk [04:10]

2. Distrust Around Foreign Aid

• Concerns About Return on Investment: Several students express skepticism about the billions in U.S. aid sent to Israel, likening it to Ukraine.
  • “We’re sending a lot of money over there, not really getting, in my opinion, a huge return on investment.” — Student [06:15]
• Home vs. Abroad Priorities:
  • “Our house is burning down and so is our neighbor’s, and we’re trying to put their fire out before we put ours out. That’s kind of how I view it.” — Student [09:55]
  • Multiple students stress that funds could be “better allocated” to housing, border security, and American domestic needs. [10:20–11:40]
  • “And the amount over since 1948, it amounts to $319 billion adjusted to inflation...I can think of multiple things that we could have spent at home.” — Student [11:10]

3. U.S. Involvement in Middle East Conflicts

• The group debates whether Israel “drags” the U.S. into conflicts or if the U.S. is a willing participant.
  • Divided views: Some see America as acting in its own interests; others are wary of being pulled into wars. [08:20–09:50]

4. Should Israel Wean Off U.S. Aid?

• The idea of Israel announcing a plan to decouple from U.S. aid is met with enthusiasm:
  • “At least we’d stop talking about it so much.” — Student [13:05]
  • Parallels are drawn to Trump’s efforts to get NATO allies to pay their share. [13:52]

5. Standards, Lobbying, and AIPAC

• Double Standards?:
  • “Why are we treating [Israel] differently than any other ally? Should we not be judging them, holding them to the same standard?” — Student [15:40]
• Concerns Over AIPAC:
  • “I’m told that by some people that if I criticize AIPAC, I’m anti-Semitic. I think it’s ridiculous.” — Ethnically Jewish student [16:25]
  • “But the fact that we’re allowing a group that doesn’t even represent American interests to influence the people who are supposed to be representing us, I have a huge problem with.” — Student [17:05]

6. Faith, Policy, and Political Rhetoric

• The group pushes back against using Biblical reasons (Genesis 12:3) to justify foreign policy, seeing this as off-putting or theologically weak for younger Christians and Catholics. [15:10–16:05]
  • “I find prophecy as policy generally to be theologically problematic.” — Student [18:15]

7. Perceptions of Gaza and Palestinian Suffering

• Empathy but Feeling Overwhelmed:
  • “A severe loss of life. I feel like that’s always a bad thing, no matter which way you look at it.” — Student [20:40]
  • Social media algorithms and campus activism focus heavily on images of Palestinian suffering, such as “missing kid posters.” [21:00]
  • A missing balance: No awareness-raising efforts for Israeli hostages or Israeli victims noted on campus. [21:39]

8. Domestic Issues vs. Foreign Policy

• Students wish there was more focus on American concerns than Israel.
  • Top priorities include: border security, housing, and family issues. [22:25]
  • “How many of you guys at least get the impression that Israel matters more than young people being able to own homes?” — Charlie Kirk [22:55]

9. Jew Hate, Criticism and “Exhaustion”

• Lines Between Criticism and Hate:
  • “I think there’s a lot of collusion between criticism and hate. There is legitimate hate out there, but a lot of criticism is being framed as hatred.” — Student [24:00]
  • The group rejects the idea that criticism of Israel, AIPAC, or Netanyahu is inherently anti-Semitic. [24:45]
• Exhaustion Among Gen Z:
  • “The majority mover of Gen Z and Gen Z conservatives is exhaustion.” — Student [25:10]

10. “Backlash” and the Danger of Overusing Labels

• Alienation Through Name-Calling:
  • “I feel like it’s becoming like, the word racism. Like, we just disagree with them, so we just have to call them a name.” — Student [25:30]
  • “Just because they’re constantly being told that you hate Jews...if I’m gonna be convicted of the crime, I might as well do the crime.” — Student, explaining potential for backlash [26:10]

11. Winning Arguments for Israel Among Young Conservatives

• Persuasive Points:
  • Intelligence sharing (especially on Iran), historical-religious significance (“the Holy Land”), and a united stand against Islamic terrorism resonated most. [29:25–32:00]
• What Doesn’t Work:
  • “Does it make you more pro-Israel that there are pride parades in Tel Aviv?” — Charlie Kirk
    • Group: “No.”
  • Students argue that highlighting the Holy Land's religious value is more persuasive for Christians than modern liberal social achievements. [30:30–33:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Israel Aid:

  • “I can think of multiple things that we could have spent at home that would have been a better allocation of our taxpayer dollars.” — Student [11:10]

• On Policy Justifications:

  • “I find prophecy as policy generally to be theologically problematic.” — Student [18:15]

• On Double Standards:

  • “Why are we treating them differently than any other ally?” — Student [15:40]

• On Youth Exhaustion:

  • “The majority mover of Gen Z and Gen Z conservatives is exhaustion. We can’t buy homes, can’t afford anything.” — Student [25:11]

• On “Jew Hate” Label:

  • “I feel like it’s becoming like, the word racism. Like, we just disagree with them, so we just have to call them a name.” — Student [25:30]

• On What’s Persuasive:

  • “That’s my biggest argument. When the United States is like a mostly Christian country...that is the Holy Land, where Jesus Christ lived and was crucified and rose from the dead.” — Student [32:00]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:00 — Gen Z’s Word Associations with “Israel”
• 06:15 — Skepticism on U.S. Foreign Aid
• 09:55 — “Our House is Burning Down” Home vs. Abroad Analogy
• 11:10 — Lifetime U.S. Aid to Israel: Student Reactions
• 13:05 — Idea of Israel Decoupling from U.S. Aid
• 15:40 — Double Standards in Treatment of Israel
• 16:25 — Criticizing AIPAC Without Being Called Anti-Semitic
• 18:15 — Faith and Policy: Biblical Rationales
• 20:40 — Word Association: Gaza and Sympathy for Palestinian Loss
• 22:25 — “What Should We Focus on Instead of Israel?”
• 24:00 — The Line Between Criticism and Hate
• 25:10 — Exhaustion as the Primary Driver
• 25:30 — Criticism Labeled as Anti-Semitism
• 29:25–32:00 — Most Persuasive Arguments for Pro-Israel Views in Gen Z
• 33:00 — The Holy Land as a Conservative Christian Argument

Tone and Language

The conversation is direct, unfiltered, and marked by frank generational discontent. Students repeatedly emphasize “America first” sentiments, tax fairness, and personal financial stress. Participants maintain a respectful but forceful tone, often pushing back on mainstream Republican messaging and underscoring the differences between Gen Z conservatives and older generations on issues of Israel and aid.

Conclusion

This focus group episode provides a clear window into the ambivalence and shifting priorities of Gen Z conservatives. While there remains broad support for Israel’s right to exist and recognition of shared Western values, there is also an unmistakable desire for recalibration—less unconditional aid, more focus on domestic issues, and an end to conflating all criticism with anti-Semitism. The discussion also signals that traditional religious justifications for foreign policy are losing their persuasive power among young conservatives, with practical concerns now at the forefront.

For further information or to give feedback, email freedom@charliekirk.com