Ana Kasparian, host of The Young Turks, faced widespread criticism for her public reaction to the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, who died Saturday evening at age 71.
Kasparian posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Good riddance," shortly after news of Graham's passing broke. The post garnered millions of views and drew a barrage of negative comments. Graham's office announced his death followed a "brief and sudden illness," with preliminary findings from the DC medical examiner pointing to an aortic dissection as the cause.
The 40-year-old commentator, based in Los Angeles, defended her remarks in subsequent posts. Responding to those who condemned her statement, Kasparian wrote, "Are you offended? Let me clarify: I’m elated that he’s dead. Overjoyed…. Just like he was elated at seeing countless dead children throughout Middle East." She was apparently referencing Graham's past comments on the war in Gaza, where he had compared Israel's military actions to the World War II bombings of Tokyo and Berlin, arguing for a decisive victory.
Online reactions to Kasparian's posts included accusations of being "vile" and "America Last." Kasparian retorted, "The free-thinking type who knows a bloodthirsty traitor when she sees one." She also suggested "karma happened" in response to questions about Graham's sudden death.
Kasparian has previously drawn controversy for her strong criticism of the U.S. government's alliance with Israel and its actions in Gaza. Some Jewish advocacy groups, such as the Anti-Defamation League, have characterized her rhetoric as antisemitic, a charge Kasparian has denied, stating her critiques are aimed at the Israeli government, Zionism, and U.S. foreign policy, not Jewish people.