Eric Lendrum, a speechwriter for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the Trump administration, has been fired after being linked to hate speech online. The DHS confirmed his dismissal following reports that he compared American conservatives to Jews in Nazi Germany and promoted the racist 'great replacement' conspiracy theory.
According to reports from Notus and The Daily Beast, Lendrum began working at the DHS in March this year, after previously serving at the Department of the Interior during Trump's first term. Between government roles, he hosted a podcast and posted on X and Telegram, where he expressed extremist views.
In a December 2021 blog post, Lendrum defended participants in the January 6 insurrection, claiming they faced 'persecution for their patriotism'. He wrote that 'American conservatives are, right now, on a course for being every bit as ostracized and alienated from broader society as Jews were in the years leading up to Nazi Germany'.
On his podcast in October 2022, Lendrum claimed that the great replacement theory, a false conspiracy narrative about replacing white populations, was 'already being put into effect in some European cities'. He also shared a post in 2023 suggesting that a driver could harm protesters, writing: 'All it takes is one brave driver to do what needs to be done'.
The DHS initially responded to inquiries by citing the First Amendment, but later confirmed Lendrum's termination. The department did not provide further comment.
