Matt Walsh defended white nationalist organization VDare on his podcast, claiming the investigation into the group was due to its “unpopular” views. He criticized New York Attorney General Letitia James for targeting VDare’s purchase of a $1.4 million castle in West Virginia. Walsh suggested that conservative media should be more vocal in supporting VDare, which he described as having “unfashionable” beliefs.
Walsh’s defense of VDare ignores the extremist nature of the organization, which has been linked to white supremacist rhetoric and racist views. VDare’s founder, Peter Brimelow, has made inflammatory statements about Hispanics and has associated with white supremacist figures. The organization was found in contempt of court for failing to comply with a subpoena related to the investigation into its financial dealings surrounding the castle purchase.
James’ investigation into VDare’s activities has drawn criticism from Walsh, who accused her of disregarding the First Amendment. However, claims that James is targeting online speech she dislikes have not been substantiated. The Daily Wire, where Walsh hosts his podcast, has faced scrutiny for its connections to white supremacist figures, with the CEO making a friendly appearance with a known white supremacist influencer.
The Daily Wire, a prominent right-wing media outlet, has been known to promote bigoted views similar to those found on VDare’s website. Walsh, in particular, has embraced the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, which suggests there is a coordinated effort to replace white people with nonwhite immigrants. This theory has inspired white supremacist violence in the past.
Despite the controversial views promoted by The Daily Wire’s hosts, Walsh’s podcast remains popular, ranking 12th in the “news” category on Apple Podcasts. The platform’s CEO claims the outlet made $220 million in revenue last year and has over 1 million subscribers. Walsh has used his platform to promote divisive and inflammatory narratives about immigration and ethnic demographics, echoing themes found in white nationalist circles.
