By Susan D. Harris
The chaos in American conservatism has become a crucible, testing and potentially reshaping its core principles. It’s a battle for the soul of the next generation—one that pits traditional Judeo-Christian values against a rising tide of isolationism and increasingly unveiled antisemitism.
Christian Zionist advocate Eden Verbatin, who describes herself as “a gentile raised in Israel,” recently shared compelling insights in an interview on the Tinashe Peter YouTube channel. Rising conservative star Tinashe—a self-described Christian Zionist—began by asking Eden one simple question: What was her experience like at TPUSA’s Student Action Summit before Charlie Kirk’s death, compared to AmericaFest (AmFest) 2025 after his murder?
Eden’s answers were thought-provoking: “So, at SAS, the Student Action Summit, we were just learning that the internet trolls are more than just internet trolls. They’re actual people with actual beliefs that we are vehemently against. And we weren’t prepared to address that.” Later, at AmFest, Eden said she felt like “people who held our views had become more equipped and ready” to give an account for their beliefs.
Eden explained that in the interim, between the two events, she had worked with an organization called Generation Zion. There, they had run through debate questions in a kind of “pre-boot camp” scenario The sessions included a mix of college students from diverse backgrounds; allowing participants to practice defending their positions.
At AmFest, she said they had defended themselves well. “I feel like the Groypers walked away feeling like the movement of Amfest, the movement of Charlie Kirk—the legacy was on our side, not theirs. And that they were the ones who needed to fight for a place for their voices to be heard…”
Earlier Turning Point events like the Student Action Summit had caught pro-Israel advocates off guard when confronted by “Groypers”—a fringe group associated with Nick Fuentes. Groypers cloak deeper anti-Jewish animosity in “America First” rhetoric, deploying familiar debate rhetoric such as complaints about U.S. aid to Israel or selective historical grievances like the USS Liberty incident.
But by AmFest 2025, equipped young activists were ready to push back against the canned narratives. Generation Zion’s pre-event boot camps united Jewish and Christian students, arming them with facts to counter the attacks.
“I think they were intimidated,” Eden observed, “and they realized that the arguments they’ve been using only work on a computer screen—or a digital screen where nobody else can actually challenge them…”
Growing up Christian in Israel, Eden experienced harmony—playing with Jewish neighbors, feeling safer than in many Western cities, debunking apartheid myths with everyday realities like diverse neighborhoods and thriving Christian sites. There, biblical Zionism flourished openly.
Challenging favorite Groyper narratives about the persecution of Christians in Israel, Eden said, “The first church you see when you walk into the old city is an ancient Anglican church that is Zionist, [it is] loved and respected by the Muslims, the Arabs, the Israelis, the Jews in the community. And to basically act like Christians are persecuted to a higher level in Jerusalem is just factually incorrect and ideologically motivated.”
Yet thanks to narratives like this, the broader MAGA movement and conservative youth are imploding over divisions regarding U.S. support for Israel—particularly its financial and military aid—and rising antisemitic rhetoric within their ranks. Framed by some as a clash between ‘America First’ priorities and Zionism, the growing divide spotlights how key figures like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson have escalated anti-Israel rhetoric—often veering into overt antisemitism, per their many critics online.
Polls reveal Owens, Carlson, Fuentes, and others are causing cracks: younger Republicans are increasingly skeptical of the Jewish state, with some viewing Islam as less threatening and aid to Israel as burdensome. Tucker Carlson straw-manned pro-Israel arguments at AmFest, downplaying threats to Israel while amplifying ‘collective punishment’ tropes (i.e., accusing Israel of illegally punishing Gaza’s entire population for Hamas’s actions, rather than engaging with arguments about wartime necessity, proportionality, or Hamas’s responsibility).
Figures like Steve Bannon accused allies of being part of the “Israel First crowd” who “want to put that ahead of America’s interests,” fueling infighting. Vice President JD Vance accused conservatives of “canceling each other,” and although he didn’t name names, it was clear his remarks were directed at conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. VP Vance publicly chose sides, even though the country has decided to quietly ignore it like a belch let loose at a fashionable soiree.
Depending on which side you’re on, Ben Shapiro either delivered one of the greatest speeches ever given within the conservative movement (Tinashe called it “the Big Ben moment”), or he rallied against free speech and diverse views.
Eden’s friend did a random poll immediately after the event, asking people “Ben or Tucker?” Tucker won out.
“What was the reasoning behind that?” Tinashe asked, looking surprised.
“I think there’s a few things … remember it’s all age demographics,” Eden said. “You’ve got these 40, 50-year-old ladies who still remember Fox News—Tucker in a bow tie … and same thing with Megan Kelly, you know, they still remember these figures. I don’t think they are on board or know about Conspiracy Tucker … you know, Islam-loving Tucker … they’re [just] happy to see him … They’re endeared to him from their past.” Eden believes that familiarity factor, combined with younger Groyper opinions, manifested in skewed poll results.
Sitting at the same table with comedian Ami Kozak, Eden said they agreed that the energy in the room was more for Ben. “People walked out for Tucker … and Ben got more cheers,” she said.
Yet when all was said and done, attendees concluded that “radical Islam” was the greatest threat facing America. Eden said that didn’t jibe with Tucker winning in the informal poll. “So, it’s a little confusing … That doesn’t really align with the idea that everybody is pro Tucker.” She stuck by her hypothesis that older attendees are being swayed by happy memories of cable news celebrities.
Ultimately, Eden said the onus fell on each individual American to study truth and prioritize God over personalities. “Don’t follow personalities above principle,” she warned.
Tinashe Peter creates amazing conservative content. He will be continuing his discussions with Eden Verbatin, as she shares unique insights into her life growing up Christian in Israel. You can follow his channel here.
Originally published on January 6, 2026 in American Thinker: The Pro-Israel Fight: Defending the Frontline Within TPUSA’s Youth Movement – American Thinker
