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As President Trump is pressured to substantively respond to the rise in anti-Semitic incidents since his election, a new analysis reveals that Breitbart News under Trumps chief strategist Stephen Bannon fostered a comment section a sample of Breitbarts readership that increasingly reflected language specific to the white nationalist alt-right movement, including anti-Semitic sentiment.

Comparing the language of Breitbart commenters to thelanguage of the most aggressive far-right extremists online e.g. language used by Twitter users who advocate for violence against minorities and are openly pro-Nazi we can see a clear trend of increasing similarity over a three-year period, the bulk of it under Bannon. Bannon left Breitbart to join the Trump campaign in mid-August 2016 but the editorial focus of the site stayed the course he set it on.

Diving deeper into anti-Semitic sentiment we see a similar trajectory. In early 2013, the term Jewish was used in a similar way as white or black as a racial/ethnic descriptor, which is similar to how Jewish is used in the mainstream press. By 2016 on Breitbart, however, Jewish had morphed into an epithet, used in similar contexts as socialist or commie.

In a mainstream newspaper article, the word Jewish is statistically similar to words such as Muslim and Christian. This means that mainstream commentators usually rely on the word Jewish to describe someone or something religious. This was the case for Breitbart comments back in July 2013.

For far-right wing extremists, the word Jewish is used in a totally different context. Instead, its use is statistically similar to words such ascommunist, homosexual, anti-white, and satanic. Within Breitbarts comment section, Jewish was increasingly used in contexts similar to commie and socialist or even progressive.

After Bannon was appointed as chief strategist, his record as a far-right propagandist came under increased scrutiny. Most contested by Bannon and his defenders was his August 2016 comments to aMother Jonesjournalist that Breitbart became the platform for the alt-right.

Trump in an interview with theNew York Timesargued that Breitbart News was just a publication. Breitbart also went on the offensive. On Nov.19, Breitbart published Steve Bannon: Zero Tolerance for Anti-Semitic, Racist Elements of the Alt-Right.

In the article, Bannon wassummarized as saying:

Bannon also highlighted the diversity of views that were given a platform at Breitbart News, while also making it clear that both he and the site had zero tolerance for racial and anti-Semitic views.

Given the comment section analysis, however, it would appear Bannon and Breitbarts tolerance for anti-Semitic views was higher than zero. It confirms what Ben Shapiro, a former Breitbart editor, said when he claimed that Bannon turned the comment section into a cesspool for white supremacist mememakers.

On this point, Breitbart editors have repeatedly attacked critics who connect the website to the anti-Semitic elements of the alt-right by pointing to Jewish writers on staff and their editorial embrace of far-right Israeli politics. It is Breitbarts other coverage, however, that is most likely attracting these elements to the site.

A focus on globalist elites, traditionally an anti-Semitic dog whistle used by the radical right and a core appeal embraced by right-wing populists both in the US and in Europe today, was a rolling narrative covered extensively by Breitbart. One Breitbart London piece attackedWashington Postwriter Anne Applebaum bycalling her a Polish, Jewish, American elitistwith global media contacts is the best example, which was roundly criticized as being anti-Semitic. Similarly, Breitbarts undeniably inflammatory coverage of the migrant crisis and terrorism resonates with the hard right, which includes anti-Semitic fellow travelers.

Bannon, however, in aninterview with Politicoafter the first wave of criticism started to die down in late December, again embraced Breitbarts readership. As Politicoreported, Bannon said the best things about Breitbart are the comments section and the callers.

It was always great to hear what the hobbits had to say because at the end of the day, what they had to say was what mattered most. This whole movement, its really the top of the first inning.

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Breitbart under Bannon: Breitbart's comment section reflects alt-right ... - Salon