The SkyePod: French Friday – "The Nazi Rot on the Right"

Host: Skye Jethani
Guest: David French
Date: November 7, 2025

Episode Overview

In this French Friday episode, Skye Jethani and David French address two of America’s most pressing issues: immigration enforcement abuses and the alarming normalization of Nazi-adjacent rhetoric within the political right. They discuss recent legal developments affecting undocumented immigrants, increasing reports of civil rights violations, and the worrying infiltration of pro-Nazi ideas into mainstream conservative circles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kavanaugh Stops and Immigration Enforcement

[00:24–27:30]

• Background: Skye introduces the topic of "Kavanaugh stops," which refer to recent law enforcement practices enabled by a Supreme Court decision. Named after Justice Brett Kavanaugh, these stops allow ICE and Border Patrol to detain individuals based on a combination of factors, including ethnic appearance, presence at certain locations, type of work, and language spoken ([01:39]).
• Legal Standards: David French explains the difference between "probable cause" and the lower standard of "reasonable suspicion," noting that the latter is now used under the court decision to justify detaining people based on loosely defined criteria ([03:14], [04:19]).
• Impact on Citizens: Skye highlights real-world stories of American citizens being detained simply for appearing to fit certain stereotypes – the very essence of racial profiling ([06:12]). Many are asked for proof of citizenship, documentation they often do not carry, leading to their detention for extended periods ([09:09]).
• Abuse and Accountability: French emphasizes that legal remedies exist in criminal law, but those unlawfully detained by federal agents face a nearly impossible path to recourse ([09:46]). There’s minimal accountability for ICE or Border Patrol agents, and the process is heavily weighted against the individual.
• Societal Consequences: Skye points out the chilling effect: "Do we want to live in a society where a significant amount of the population has to constantly be worried about being detained if they don’t have proof of citizenship?" ([12:04])
• Transparency & Power Dynamics: French draws a stark contrast between citizen accountability and agent anonymity:

  "The citizen has privacy, the government has transparency... This masked law enforcement agency... We weren’t masked in Iraq when we were taking on Al Qaeda." – David French ([16:51])

Notable Quotes

• "This is America. An incredibly high percentage of our country … fit some of these categories." – Skye ([12:26])
• "[The system] is inadequate to deal with this abuse." – David French ([09:46])

Important Timestamps

• 01:39 – Kavanaugh stops explained
• 03:14 – Legal standard of reasonable suspicion
• 09:09 – Real-world consequences of being profiled
• 16:51 – Transparency for government vs. privacy for citizens

2. The Nazi Rot on the Right

[27:30–60:12]

• Young Republican Group Chat Scandal: Skye recounts a leak of group chat messages among Young Republican leaders (not children – but adults 24–35) that contained overt Nazi rhetoric, racism, and misogyny.

  “In the group chat were statements about loving Hitler... jokes about rape and sexual violence... The Nazi rhetoric stood out to a lot of people.” – Skye ([27:53])

• Tucker Carlson & Nick Fuentes: Further, Tucker Carlson (formerly of Fox News) aired an interview with Nick Fuentes, a known extremist and Hitler admirer, in which Fuentes praised both Hitler and Stalin, denied the Holocaust, and called for the execution of Jews and non-Christians upon "taking power" ([29:44]).

  "He said, I'm a fan of Adolf Hitler... Holocaust is exaggerated... Jews and non-Christians need to be given the death penalty." – Skye ([30:14])

• Heritage Foundation’s Response: When Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts defended Carlson, internal backlash ensued – for some, finally crossing a red line, although David French argues the true threshold was crossed long ago ([32:00], [33:17]).

Metastasis, Not Emergence

• French insists, “The acceptance of this kind of behavior has been going on for 10 years... What’s interesting is the backlash now, not the behavior itself.” ([33:17])
• He traces how, over the decade, the right transformed from conservatism into an anti-left coalition, increasingly tolerant of extremism as a rejection of the left rather than an affirmation of core principles ([45:34], [46:30]).

Leadership & Responsibility

• David French emphasizes that the character at the top shapes the character of the movement:

  “The character of the leader defines the character of the movement. ... You cannot preserve decency and virtue by sacrificing any commitment to character on the part of the leader.” – David French ([47:39], [49:09])

Motivations for Backlash

• French notes that the current backlash against Nazi rhetoric is less rooted in principle and more in "practical reality." Some now realize, belatedly, that extremism threatens their movement's longevity.

  “Some are attacking defenders of Nazis not because of principle, but because they realize they're losing.” ([39:26])

Reflections on Accountability

• Skye laments:

  “It's incredible to me that there's a movement in this country that doesn't recognize Hitler and the Nazis as universally bad, that has tolerated that presence... I've written off those people as a source of any kind of moral voice.” ([41:40])

• French adds:

  “A lot of this is on you guys. You are madder at us for saying that there is a Nazi problem, than you are mad at the Nazi problem.” ([41:57])

Consequences of Normalization

• Discussion of how, due to the behavior and rhetoric of Trump and his enablers, formerly fringe ideas have gone mainstream. The failure to address or confront these has "allowed it to grow" ([41:57]).
• Skye calls out the damaging tradeoff: “We'll get destroyed for saying even undocumented citizens should have human rights, from people who don't see the moral depravity of Hitler and Nazism.” ([41:40])

Notable Quotes

• “No threshold was crossed when Carlson interviewed Fuentes. The threshold was crossed a long time ago.” – David French ([33:17])
• “If you're going to level both barrels at Nazis, I'm team you.” – David French ([43:56])
• “You are madder at the people who identified the Nazi problem than you are at the problem itself.” – David French ([41:57])

Important Timestamps

• 27:53 – Details of the Young Republican group chat
• 29:44 – Carlson interviews Nick Fuentes
• 32:00 – Heritage Foundation response and internal backlash
• 41:40 – Reflection on the normalization of Nazi rhetoric
• 47:39 – Role of leaders’ character in shaping movements

3. The Future of the Parties & the Country

[49:09–60:12]

• Trump’s Enduring Legacy:
  Skye and David discuss the long-term impact of Trump’s presidency and the practical problem of thousands of ICE agents radicalized and empowered under his administration ([25:39]).
• Concerns about Future Enforcement:
  French worries about the abuse of federal law enforcement for political objectives, especially as a deterrent to voting ([50:38]).
• Democratic Party Dynamics:
  They analyze recent Democratic victories (e.g., New Jersey, Virginia) and discuss whether leadership is emerging that is more than merely anti-Trump. Skye suggests that basic decency, kindness, and integrity could be an effective electoral formula, contrasted with the right’s cruelty and incompetence ([58:12]).
• Need for a Moral Reset:
  Regarding Jay Jones’s victory despite wishing death on political opponents, French is discouraged:

  “We're never going to turn the page until it's a very consistent and clear message from both sides... that cruelty is completely... beyond the pale.” ([59:24])

Notable Quotes

• “I think that kindness and competency and integrity is enough to win against MAGA in a lot of these places.” – Skye ([58:39])
• “It's so discouraging that that wasn't disqualifying, Sky.” – David French ([60:03])

Important Timestamps

• 50:38 – Worry about abuse of ICE at elections
• 58:12 – Decency as an electoral advantage
• 59:24 – Call for bipartisan rejection of cruelty

Memorable Moments

• The stark reversal of privacy and transparency:

  "The citizen has privacy, the government has transparency... We weren't masked in Iraq when we were taking on Al Qaeda." – David French ([16:51])

• Condemnation of apologism and delayed accountability:

  “You are madder at us for saying that there is a Nazi problem, than you are mad at the Nazi problem.” – David French ([41:57])

• Reflection on the resort to cruelty as a means of movement-building:

  “The character of the leader defines the character of the movement.” – David French ([47:39])

• On late conversion to moral clarity about Nazism:

  “Once they act, we should be going, let’s go get them. Because the stakes are way too high.” – David French ([43:22])

• Skye’s cogent summary of partisan dynamics:

  “Republicans come across as crazy, but the Democrats come across as preachy.” – Skye ([58:39])

Conclusion

This episode is a bracing warning about the erosion of legal norms, civil liberties, and the moral compass of American political life. Skye Jethani and David French peel back the legal technicalities to expose the lived reality for millions—and the meaning of a society where extremism finds a mainstream footing. The message is clear: the fight for decency, transparency, and accountability cannot wait for a more convenient time.

Selected Timestamps Index

• 01:39 – Explanation of "Kavanaugh stops"
• 09:09 – Real-world consequences for profiled citizens
• 16:51 – Government transparency vs. citizen privacy
• 27:53 – Young Republican Nazi chat group details
• 29:44 – Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes interview
• 41:57 – Misplaced anger and accountability on the right
• 47:39 – Character of leadership shapes the movement
• 58:39 – Decency as a winning formula in politics

This summary covers the main arguments, most impactful quotes, and the emotional tenor of the conversation, providing a comprehensive briefing for those unable to listen to the full episode.