By Trendsetter Tribune 
The nomination of Jeremy Carl to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations has hit a likely insurmountable wall in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Following a high-tension confirmation hearing on Thursday, February 12, 2026, Senator John Curtis (R-UT) announced his formal opposition, joining a unified Democratic front against the nominee.
With the committee currently split 12–10 in favor of Republicans, Curtis’s defection creates an 11–11 tie. Under Senate rules, a tied vote in committee fails to report the nominee favorably to the full floor, effectively stalling the appointment.
The Contentious Hearing: Key Flashpoints
The hearing focused heavily on Carl’s past rhetoric, particularly regarding Israel, the Holocaust, and “white identity.”
- Holocaust “Victim Status”: Senator Curtis questioned Carl on a 2024 podcast appearance where the host suggested Israel was “resting on the Holocaust” to justify its actions. Carl had responded, “Right, right. Yeah, no, I mean, I think that’s true.”
- Carl’s Defense: During the hearing, Carl stated he did not recall the specific exchange but admitted, “I made some comments in interviews about minimizing the effects of the Holocaust that were absolutely wrong.”
- White Identity Politics: Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) pressed Carl on his definition of “white identity” being “erased.” Carl stood by his belief that “common American culture” is being “balkanized” by mass immigration. Murphy subsequently labeled Carl a “legit white nationalist” on social media.
- The “Great Replacement”: Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) grilled Carl on his support for the “Great Replacement” theory. Carl argued the term referred to “international demographic replacement of Europeans in Europe,” though he blamed Democratic immigration policies for similar trends in the U.S.
A Pattern of Upheaval in “Trump World”
Carl’s confirmation struggles are part of a broader week of turmoil within the administration’s secondary appointments:
| Official | Position | Status | Reason for Friction |
| Jeremy Carl | Asst. Sec. of State (Nominee) | Stalled | Past remarks on Israel, race, and the Holocaust. |
| Carrie Prejean Boller | Religious Liberty Commission | Ousted | Defended Candace Owens; criticized “Zionist agendas” during a hearing. |
| Gail Slater | DOJ Antitrust Chief | Forced Out | Tensions with AG Pam Bondi and VP JD Vance over merger policy. |
Context Note: The ousting of Carrie Prejean Boller on Wednesday by Commission Chair Dan Patrick (Texas Lt. Gov.) was particularly notable. Boller was removed after a hearing on antisemitism where she quoted Bible verses attributing Jesus’ death to Jews and defended controversial commentator Candace Owens.
The Claremont Connection
Jeremy Carl is a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, a conservative think tank that has become a central hub for the administration’s intellectual framework. Despite his pedigree and support from hawkish figures like Mike Doran, the “digital paper trail” of over 5,000 deleted tweets—resurfaced by investigative reports—proved to be the deciding factor for moderate Republicans like Curtis.