John Oliver made a return to the “Last Week Tonight” set after a brief hiatus and dedicated the entire episode to discussing a troubling trend linked to the Republican Party as the November 3 midterm elections approach—namely, their concerning connections to neo-Nazi ideologies.
One incident highlighted by Oliver was that of Peter Oberacker, a Republican candidate running for New York’s 19th congressional district. In 2015, during a Veterans Day tribute featuring a photo of his late grandfather in a full Wehrmacht uniform, Oberacker ignited controversy, as his grandfather had fought for Nazi Germany. Although he claimed it was the only photo he possessed of his grandfather, Oliver wryly suggested, “If that’s the only photo you have, perhaps it’s best to just let it go!”
Oliver also referenced Elon Musk, who seemingly made a Nazi salute to Trump supporters at a rally in 2025, stating, “Everything about that screams, ‘Nazi!’” He even added, “To be fair to the Nazis, at least they looked sharp in their uniforms.”
The comedian continued to express concern that the Republican Party appears increasingly comfortable with individuals and messages that are softly aligned, if not explicitly so, with Nazi sentiments. He cited the example of Paul Ingrassia, a Trump-appointed nominee who withdrew after his leaked messages revealed a self-declared “Nazi streak.” Another alarming figure was Brandon Herrera, a Republican nominee for Texas’s 23rd congressional district, noted for his YouTube video associating a weapon with Nazi references and celebrating it through a Nazi-themed performance.
Oliver also touched upon remarks from Karl Rove, a key political figure from George W. Bush’s administration, who voiced that the Republican Party is being influenced by bigots. This discussion included references to several candidates associated with inflammatory social media posts and extremist views.
Linking the wider political context, Oliver argued that the ongoing conflict in Gaza has allowed extreme right figures to amplify antisemitic conspiracy theories, highlighting instances involving Tucker Carlson and the outspoken ultra-nationalist Nick Fuentes. Oliver criticized Carlson for providing a platform to Fuentes, who has made outrageously racist claims and conspiratorial comments about Jewish people.
The comedian stressed the risks posed by this rising far-right element within the Republican Party, warning that history has shown that the ascent of such ideologies rarely leads to positive outcomes. Citing a Manhattan Institute analysis, he shared startling statistics about Holocaust denial beliefs among Republicans. Additionally, he revealed leaked chats from Young Republican groups, filled with admiration for Hitler and hateful rhetoric.
Addressing dismissals of these sentiments as mere youthful folly, Oliver pointed out that many of the individuals involved are not the children they are often portrayed as but rather adults in their late twenties and thirties actively participating in these discussions.
He concluded by affirming that extremist viewpoints within the GOP are becoming increasingly impossible to ignore, as they directly influence electoral outcomes—especially pertinent given the impending election, where significant campaign financing comes from high-profile individuals like Elon Musk.
In this way, Oliver took aim at the alarming trends at play in today’s political landscape, emphasizing the critical need for vigilance against the normalization of extremist beliefs.
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John Oliver Issues Urgent Warning Ahead of Midterms About GOP’s Nazi Ties
