Controversy Erupts Over Promotion of Pentagon Spokesperson With Anti-Semitic History

By: Fern Sidman

A storm of bipartisan condemnation has erupted following the U.S. Defense Department’s announcement on Friday night that Kingsley Wilson has been promoted from Deputy Spokesperson to Chief Pentagon Spokesperson—a move Israel Hayom reported is inflaming deep concerns over rising tolerance of anti-Semitic rhetoric at the highest levels of government.

The decision, which came amid mounting scrutiny of Wilson’s social media history, is drawing harsh criticism from lawmakers, Jewish advocacy organizations, and civil society groups alike. According to the report in Israel Hayom, Wilson has a documented record of spreading anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and racially inflammatory content on multiple online platforms. Critics argue that her elevation to such a powerful communications role at the Pentagon reflects a troubling normalization of extremist narratives.

Wilson’s online behavior has been under scrutiny since her initial appointment as Deputy Spokesperson in March. As the Israel Hayom report detailed, among the most inflammatory posts are those targeting the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and its historic roots in the lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish man falsely convicted in 1913 of murdering a 13-year-old girl in Georgia. Frank’s wrongful conviction and subsequent lynching galvanized American Jewry and led to the ADL’s founding.

Yet Wilson, in defiance of overwhelming historical consensus, posted on social media that “Leo Frank raped and murdered a 13-year-old girl” and further claimed that “he also tried to frame a black man for his crime. The ADL is despicable.” These assertions echo debunked conspiracy theories long promoted by white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups. The report in Israel Hayom confirmed that these posts remain visible on her social media profiles, raising serious questions about the Defense Department’s vetting and accountability procedures.

Wilson has also praised Confederate General Robert E. Lee, referring to him as “one of the greatest Americans who ever lived,” and has trafficked in the “Great Replacement” theory, a racist and anti-Semitic conspiracy that falsely accuses Jewish people of orchestrating demographic changes to displace white populations in Western nations.

The backlash has been swift and bipartisan. Israel Hayom reported that both Republican Senator Rick Scott and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed strong opposition, albeit with differing tones. Scott remarked that he “obviously” did not support Wilson’s views but deferred to the Pentagon’s internal judgment. Schumer, who is the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in U.S. history, went further, demanding Wilson’s immediate dismissal over her persistent and public expressions of bigotry.

Jewish organizations have also weighed in forcefully. The American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Simon Wiesenthal Center issued statements calling the promotion “an affront to Jewish Americans” and “an alarming signal that conspiratorial hate is no longer disqualifying for senior federal positions.”

According to the information provided in the Israel Hayom report, advocacy groups emphasized that Wilson’s refusal to delete or retract her anti-Semitic comments suggests that she stands by them—and that the Pentagon, by extension, is endorsing that stance through inaction.

Despite the uproar, the Pentagon has stood by its decision. Sean Parnell, the department’s senior advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to defend Wilson, writing, “Kingsley’s leadership has been integral to the DoD’s success & we look forward to her continued service to President Trump!”

The Israel Hayom report noted that this public show of support has only deepened concerns, particularly within the Jewish community, about the Pentagon’s commitment to combating hate speech and maintaining professional integrity in national security communications.

This episode reflects broader anxieties about the infiltration of extremist ideologies into federal institutions. Israel Hayom underscored that the promotion comes at a time when the Jewish community is experiencing a sharp rise in anti-Semitic incidents across the U.S., as documented by both the ADL and the FBI.

“This is not just a personnel issue,” said one Jewish community leader quoted by Israel Hayom. “It’s a question of whether our government will stand up to hate, or reward it.”

Wilson’s defenders within certain political circles argue that she is being unfairly targeted for past remarks, yet the overwhelming historical distortion and racial incitement found in her statements leave little room for ambiguity.

As Wilson prepares to assume her new duties as the top public voice of the U.S. military, Israel Hayom reported that legal experts and watchdog groups are now calling for a full congressional inquiry into the vetting and promotion process at the Department of Defense. Some lawmakers are also said to be drafting legislation that would require stricter scrutiny of federal appointees’ public statements, especially those related to hate speech or misinformation.

The promotion of Kingsley Wilson is now a national flashpoint, emblematic of deeper cultural and political battles playing out in Washington. While the Pentagon insists on standing by its new chief spokesperson, Israel Hayom pointed out that the broader implications—for institutional trust, civil discourse, and America’s Jewish community—are far from settled.

As the backlash grows louder and the demands for accountability intensify, the Defense Department finds itself at the center of a maelstrom not only of political controversy but of moral reckoning.