The Jimmy Dore Show
Episode: "Ben Shapiro CONFRONTED Over Israel's Attack On The USS Liberty!"
Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Jimmy Dore
Key Guests/Voices: Ben Shapiro, Nick Fuentes, Ryan Mata, various callers (voices by Mike McRae)
Episode Overview
This explosive episode of The Jimmy Dore Show centers around the ongoing controversy within the conservative movement over American support for Israel—specifically, the 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty, a U.S. naval ship. Jimmy Dore breaks down a recent incident where conservative commentator Ben Shapiro was confronted at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event by a young audience member (represented by Nick Fuentes) for downplaying the USS Liberty attack as a mere mistake.
As internal conservative rifts over Israel, censorship, and foreign policy come to a head, Dore draws connections to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the pressure to conform within right-wing circles, and broader efforts to stifle dissent related to Israeli government actions and U.S.-Israel relations.
Throughout, Dore’s signature irreverence, candor, and righteous outrage permeate the discussion, amplified by contributions from Ryan Mata and voices from the broader conservative sphere.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. TPUSA, Generational Divide, and the “Israel Question”
[01:49–02:54]
- Dore opens the substantive segment criticizing TPUSA for its attempts to “go full Zionism” in the wake of a generational shift, noting that younger conservatives are increasingly critical of U.S. support for Israel.
- “The problem with Turning Points USA is that they're not going to get away from the Israel question because the younger generation has turned on Israel—even conservatives.” – Jimmy Dore [01:51]
- Shedding light on intra-conservative tensions, Dore discusses the backlash against those raising questions about foreign aid to Israel, often being met with accusations of anti-Semitism.
2. The USS Liberty Incident and Ben Shapiro’s Response
[04:14–06:55 & 12:28–13:39]
- A key segment features a TPUSA attendee (Nick Fuentes) confronting Ben Shapiro about why he dismissed the USS Liberty attack as “irrelevant” to the U.S.-Israel relationship.
- Notable Confrontation:
“Why, therefore, did you call irrelevant the Israeli attack in 1967 on the USS Liberty, which left dozens of American servicemen dead and hundreds wounded?” – Nick Fuentes [04:18] - The crowd reacts strongly, indicative of the shifting conservative base.
- Notable Confrontation:
- Shapiro’s Defense:
- He characterizes the incident as a tragic but mistaken attack, citing “multiple Navy and Israeli reports.”
- “If we're looking at modern Israeli-American relations, looking at an attack that happened mistakenly by multiple Navy reports... that's irrelevant.” – Ben Shapiro [05:19]
- He questions the motives of those who continue to emphasize the Liberty incident, implying ulterior motives.
- Pushback from Dore and Others:
- Dore and Fuentes debunk Shapiro, noting the sustained nature of the attack, clear American markings, and U.S. governmental skepticism that it was accidental.
- “The idea that it is just like established consensus that it was an accident is not true. It's not true.” – Nick Fuentes [06:22]
- Survivor testimony (played later) forcefully calls the attack deliberate, not mistaken.
3. Survivor Perspective: The USS Liberty Attack was Deliberate
[12:28–13:39]
- A USS Liberty survivor (quoted by Dore and Fuentes) forcefully rebuts Shapiro’s narrative, calling the attack “preplanned, murderous, savage.”
- “Israel murdered 34 of my shipmates in cold blood... There have been multiple naval investigations, but there’s never been one. They’re all liars when you write Congress, prepared to be lied to.” – Survivor [13:07]
- The survivor accuses U.S. political figures of being "under the thumb" of AIPAC and describes a systemic cover-up.
- “The USS Liberty was never a mistaken identity. It was a preplanned murderous savage attack on innocent Americans doing their jobs for their country.” – Survivor [13:23]
4. Turning Point USA Infighting and Zionist Influence
[13:39–16:01]
- Dore derides the apparent takeover of TPUSA by pro-Israel interests and spotlights a TPUSA-affiliated preacher (Douglas Wilson) who, in Dore’s assessment, tries to rationalize the Liberty attack by implying LBJ-era duplicity.
- “So what he's saying, what he's setting up there is that it was the United States double crossing Israel and so Israel had a right to attack the US. What?!” – Jimmy Dore [15:28]
- The segment blends historical conspiracies (e.g., JFK’s stance on Israel and AIPAC) with present fears of right-wing censorship on Israel policy.
5. Media and Personality Fractures: Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and the Ben Shapiro Purge
[22:14–31:21]
- Dore presents a Vanity Fair recounting of a public spat where Shapiro attempts to excommunicate notable right-wing figures (Kelly, Owens, Carlson, Bannon) over insufficient support for Israel or refusal to denounce critics.
- “I thought, who do you think you are?” – Megyn Kelly [24:09]
- Kelly, previously identifying as a Zionist, charges that “Ben is Israel first.”
- (“His behavior has proven that charge to be correct. Why would you divide the American conservative movement... over Israel?” – Megyn Kelly [27:28])
- Dore notes, “Even Zionists are being purged if they ask questions.”
- The result is a fracturing of the American right, with a new litmus test emerging around support for Israel.
6. Censorship, “Anti-Semitism,” and Youth Backlash
[33:40–38:24]
- Dore and Ryan Mata argue that establishment attempts to censor or shame critics of Israel are feeding a backlash among conservatives, especially youth, and paradoxically stoking anti-Semitism.
- “I've said this for a long time, that the biggest generator of anti-Semitism is Israel.” – Jimmy Dore [32:16]
- The segment covers how accusations of anti-Semitism are weaponized in debates, a move Dore calls increasingly ineffective.
7. Charlie Kirk Assassination Conspiracy, Legal Conflicts, and “Mormon Mafia”
[47:16–56:34]
- Dore discusses labyrinthine theories about the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, suggesting a cover-up involving legal conflicts of interest, Mormon elite networks, and connections to Israel.
- Details about the defense attorney’s links to people with potential involvement in evidence tampering, as well as suspicious Google trends originating in Israel.
- “This web—tpusa insiders, defense sabotage, aviation anomalies, Mormon power ties—proves that the fix is in.” – Dore, quoting Project Constitution [53:10]
- These segments reflect the show's recurring theme: always question establishment narratives.
8. Ben Shapiro’s War on the “Unfaithful” Conservatives
[39:12–47:16]
- Dore examines Shapiro’s attempts to police conservatism, seeing him as a neocon enforcer whose primary interests are Israel, Wall Street, and war.
- “He proclaims the GOP must expel all who reject neoconservatism, servitude to the banks, and US financing of Israel.” – Glenn Greenwald (paraphrased by Dore) [44:41]
- Steve Bannon is quoted calling Shapiro a “cancer” on the movement, highlighting broad backlash.
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
“Why therefore, did you call irrelevant the Israeli attack in 1967 on the USS Liberty, which left dozens of American servicemen dead and hundreds wounded?”
– Nick Fuentes confronting Ben Shapiro [04:18] -
“If we’re looking at modern Israeli-American relations, looking at an attack that happened mistakenly by multiple Navy reports... that’s irrelevant.”
– Ben Shapiro defending Israel’s position [05:19] -
“The idea that it is just like established consensus that it was an accident is not true. It's not true.”
– Nick Fuentes [06:22] -
“The USS Liberty was never a mistaken identity. It was a pre-planned murderous savage attack on innocent Americans doing their jobs for their country.”
– USS Liberty survivor [13:23] -
“Ben is Israel first…”
– Megyn Kelly [27:28] -
“The biggest generator of anti-Semitism is Israel.”
– Jimmy Dore [32:16] -
“They’re tired of being censored about it. They're tired of being called a bigot or an anti-Semite for questioning them.”
– Jimmy Dore [16:01] -
“No one is trying to censor criticism of Israel.”
– Brooke Goldstein (sarcastically mocked by Dore) [33:42]
Essential Timestamps
- 01:49 — [Jimmy begins main discussion: TPUSA, Israel, and generational split]
- 04:14–06:55 — [Clip of Ben Shapiro being confronted at TPUSA about USS Liberty]
- 12:28–13:39 — [Survivor refutes “accident” narrative, describes cover-up]
- 13:39–16:01 — [Preacher’s rationalizations, establishment dynamics, JFK ties]
- 22:14–31:21 — [Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and the Conservative Israel litmus test]
- 33:40–38:24 — [Censorship, anti-Semitism debates, youth backlash]
- 39:12–47:16 — [Shapiro’s campaign against dissenters; Bannon and Greenwald responses]
- 47:16–56:34 — [Charlie Kirk assassination theory, legal/elite connections, “Mormon mafia”]
- Rest of episode: Voicemail sketches, comic relief, and community-building banter
Tone and Style
Jimmy Dore’s tone throughout is combative, irreverent, and intensely skeptical of establishment narratives—blending detailed factual analysis with raucous humor and pointed mockery. His indignation is palpable, particularly toward what he sees as dishonesty, suppression, and corruption in conservative politics vis-à-vis US-Israel relations.
Summary Takeaways
- There’s a widening fissure within the American right over support for Israel, censorship, and willingness to question US foreign entanglements.
- The 1967 USS Liberty incident remains a touchstone—its continued invocation by younger conservatives draws accusations of anti-Semitism from pro-Israel gatekeepers like Shapiro, but is met by skepticism and defiance.
- Dore and guests suggest that censorship and accusations of anti-Semitism are now backfiring, driving more dissent and scrutiny, especially among youth.
- The power struggle within the conservative movement—fueled by the deaths of top organizers, media spats, and purges—reflects deeper questions about American priorities, loyalty, and the cost of unquestioning alliance with Israel.
- Dore urges listeners to remain vigilant, question official stories, and reject attempts to silence criticism—because, as he repeatedly asserts, “Never stop asking questions. It’s the only thing that keeps us free.”
This episode is essential listening for anyone seeking to understand the turmoil roiling American conservatism around Israel, free speech, and the boundaries of political loyalty, as filtered through Jimmy Dore’s fiery, uncompromising lens.
