Missouri Republican Senator Eric Schmitt has employed Nate Hochman as a staffer since February, despite Hochman's controversial past. Hochman was fired from Ron DeSantis's presidential campaign in July 2023 for creating a video with neo-Nazi imagery and later promoted far-right conspiracy theories at a Marco Rubio-linked thinktank. This employment raises concerns among experts about the mainstreaming of extremist ideas within the Republican party.
Republican senator employs aide fired by DeSantis over neo-Nazi imagery
United States
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Missouri Republican Senator Eric Schmitt has employed Nate Hochman as a staffer since February, despite Hochman's controversial past. Hochman was fired from Ron DeSantis's presidential campaign in July 2023 for creating a video with neo-Nazi imagery and later promoted far-right conspiracy theories at a Marco Rubio-linked thinktank. This employment raises concerns among experts about the mainstreaming of extremist ideas within the Republican party.
Trending- 1 2016: Darren Beattie spoke at an HL Mencken Club meeting.
- 2 2018: Darren Beattie fired from the first Trump administration; Mike Needham became Marco Rubio's chief of staff.
- 3 2022: Nate Hochman's Twitter Spaces recording with Nick Fuentes; Eric Schmitt's interview with Glenn Beck.
- 4 July 2023: Nate Hochman fired from Ron DeSantis's presidential campaign.
- 5 2023: America 2100 founded.
- 6 September 2024: The Guardian reported on Hochman's job at America 2100.
- 7 2024: Nate Hochman's columns published in The American Spectator.
- 8 April 30, 2025: Senator Schmitt delivered a Senate floor speech.
- 9 May 2024: Nate Hochman tweeted about federal border czar Tom Homan.
- 10 February 2025: Nate Hochman began working for Senator Eric Schmitt; Darren Beattie appointed to the State Department.
- Mainstreaming of extremist ideas and individuals within the Republican party
- Concerns raised by experts about the lack of 'guardrails' against extremism in U.S. politics
- Continued political controversy and scrutiny of Senator Schmitt's staffing choices
What: Republican Senator Eric Schmitt hired Nate Hochman as a staffer, despite Hochman's previous firing from Ron DeSantis's campaign for using neo-Nazi imagery and his history of promoting far-right conspiracy theories.
When: Nate Hochman has worked for Senator Schmitt since February 2025. He was fired from Ron DeSantis's campaign in July 2023. America 2100 was founded in 2023. Hochman's Twitter Spaces recording with Nick Fuentes was in 2022. Darren Beattie was fired in 2018, appointed late 2020, dismissed early 2022, and appointed to the State Department in February 2025. Senator Schmitt's interview with Glenn Beck was in 2022. Hochman's American Spectator columns were during 2024. Senator Schmitt delivered a Senate floor speech on April 30.
Where: Missouri (Senator Schmitt's state), Florida (Governor DeSantis's state), Washington D.C. (where congressional staff work and State Department is located). Charleroi, Pennsylvania (mentioned as a target of Hochman's videos).
Why: Senator Schmitt's office did not provide a comment. Experts suggest this employment indicates a lack of 'guardrails' against extremists in the Republican party and aligns with Schmitt's own hard-right political positions.
How: Senator Eric Schmitt employed Nate Hochman as a staffer. Hochman's past actions include creating controversial videos, peddling conspiracy theories, and making problematic statements that led to his previous dismissal and ongoing scrutiny.