An armed assailant rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel, one of the nation’s largest reform synagogues, in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The attacker, armed with a rifle, drove through a set of doors and into a hallway before on-site security personnel opened fire, fatally shooting him. Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard confirmed the attacker's death, noting the vehicle caught fire following the crash inside the building.
"He was traveling with purpose down the hall, from my look at the video," Sheriff Bouchard stated. Investigators were actively working to identify the attacker and establish a motive for the assault, which sent shockwaves through the local community and national Jewish organizations.
Hours after the incident, Laura Loomer, a close outside adviser to President Donald Trump, took to social media platform X to assign blame for the violence. She specifically targeted conservative media figures Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, asserting that their rhetoric had contributed to the attack. "Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens both said everyone needs to know where their local Chabad is," Loomer wrote. "I said their hatred would lead to people shooting up Jews in synagogues." Loomer also directed her post toward the Trump administration, urging, "The Trump administration must start deporting these Islamic savages from our country and we must start holding people accountable for inciting violence."
Carlson responded swiftly and sharply to Loomer's accusations, comparing her published content to pornography. "I rarely read the filth you publish, and have never responded to it, for the same reason I avoid pornography. It’s unhealthy and I don’t want to encourage it," Carlson wrote on X. "But in this specific case I understand exactly what you’re doing and I’d like to stop it now."
The exchange stems from comments Carlson made the previous week, in which he claimed that the Chabad-Lubavitch movement was secretly working to orchestrate a religious war aimed at destroying the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to rebuild the Third Temple. Owens had amplified these claims, reportedly telling her followers to be aware of which Chabad location was nearest their homes. Chabad is a global Jewish educational organization and outreach group that provides spiritual and humanitarian support to Jewish communities worldwide.
Carlson directly denied making any broad attack on the organization in his response to Loomer. "I didn’t attack or even criticize Chabad, an organization I’ve mentioned precisely once in my life," he wrote. He clarified his earlier remarks, stating, "Last week I said I believed that IDF soldiers in Israel have received third temple patches for their uniforms from Chabad. I believe that’s true. Please let me know if I’m wrong, not that you care."
Carlson went on to accuse Loomer of engaging in "absurd slander" designed to "blame me preemptively for violent attacks on American Jews that you believe are coming." He further expressed his views on violence and conflict, adding, "I abhor violence against innocents, which is why I am disgusted by what Israel has done in Gaza and why I argued against the current war in Iran." He concluded his post by stating, "It’s all immoral and indefensible. I believe in the inherent rights of the individual because I believe in God. What you’re doing divides this country more than you likely understand. I hope you will stop."
Vice President JD Vance previously confirmed to the Daily Mail that Loomer serves as a close confidante of President Trump, making her one of the most influential outside voices near the administration. This public feud between Loomer and Carlson comes amid a broader rift between Carlson and the Trump White House. Carlson publicly criticized "Operation Epic Fury," a military action launched by the Trump administration two weeks prior, calling it "absolutely disgusting and evil."
President Trump addressed Carlson’s criticism directly in comments to ABC News, stating, "Tucker’s lost his way. I knew that a long time ago, and he’s not MAGA. MAGA is saving our country. MAGA is making our country great again. MAGA is America first, and Tucker is none of those things. And Tucker is really not smart enough to understand that."
Carlson, who actively campaigned for President Trump during the 2024 election and spoke in his support at multiple rallies, including the Republican National Convention, has also faced widespread accusations of antisemitism over separate claims. These include suggestions that the war with Iran is connected to a Jewish plot and that Israeli "psychological influence" shapes American public opinion. The ongoing public disagreements among prominent conservative figures underscore a period of internal tension and evolving alliances within the broader movement.
