A cartoon tweeted by the Libertarian Party of Michigan on May 8, 2024 that has since been deleted. Photo: Screenshot

The Libertarian Party of Michigan on Wednesday posted an antisemitic cartoon depicting Jews as puppet masters who control both the Democratic and Republican parties in the US.

The graphic was posted on multiple social media platforms, but gained particular traction on X/Twitter, where it received widespread blowback but also a chunk of support — garnering over 1,000 likes before it was ultimately deleted.

The Libertarian Party of Michigan did not respond to The Algemeiner‘s request for comment for this story.

“I know some people think of me as ‘libertarian.’ I have used that word to describe myself at times,” journalist Brad Polumbo wrote in response to the graphic. “But please understand that I have no affiliation whatsoever with whatever the f–k this is.”

Max Abrahms, a professor of political science at Northeastern University, wrote, “I’ve found that foreign policy libertarians are more likely to (1) view themselves as smart, (2) view themselves as smarter than they are, (3) condescend when they’re dilettantes on national security issues, (4) and yes have issues with Jews.”

This is not the first time the Libertarian Party has been accused of promoting antisemitism. In August 2022, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire posted a now-deleted tweet reading, “Six million dollar minimum wage or you’re antisemitic,” in a reference to the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Then, a few months later, the national party tweeted out a depiction of Sam Bankman-Fried — the fraudster who ran FTX — that many argued was antisemitic.

Additionally, the Mises Caucus wing of the Libertarian Party invited an activist named Bryan Sharpe (or Hotep Jesus), who many consider antisemitic, to speak at its convention back in 2021. A Mises Caucus leading member said, regarding the invitation: “I don’t actually think that someone who is trying to be a truth-seeker and understand what’s going on — and asked the question about whether or not Jews run Hollywood is an antisemite.”

Many observers have pointed out that it is important to make a distinction between the Libertarian Party and people who generally think of themselves as libertarian, arguing the latter merely describes a worldview that prioritizes liberty in economic and social affairs. Meanwhile, the party is seen by many to have been taken over by extremists.

Liz Wolfe, a journalist at Reason, noted she believes “the better question is ‘What’s going on with the Libertarian Party?’ Certainly not the same as libertarianism.”

“I mean, I don’t feel like their antisemitic posting represents what I value,” she continued. “Far from it.”