Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Bret Stephens

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 26, 2025

Public opinion and media debates around Bret Stephens—discover key moments of controversy.

Bret Stephens is an American right-wing columnist and journalist. He is an opinion columnist for The New York Times and a senior contributor to NBC News, both since 2017. He also became the inaugural editor-in-chief of SAPIR: A Journal of Jewish Conversations in 2021.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1938: Comparison to Munich Agreement

Bret Stephens has argued against the Iran nuclear deal, claiming that they are a worse bargain even than the 1938 Munich Agreement with Nazi Germany.

1988: Reference to Hamas Charter

Bret Stephens refers to the 1988 Hamas charter in an opinion piece, using it to support his claim that Hamas is a genocidal organization.

2002: Column on Iraq's Nuclear Threat

In 2002, Bret Stephens wrote a column stating that Iraq was likely to become the first nuclear power in the Arab world unless checked.

2003: Advocacy for Iraq War

In 2003, Bret Stephens was a "prominent voice" among media advocates for the start of the Iraq War.

2005: Publication of a study on Ashkenazi Jewish intelligence

In 2005, an academic study was published which advanced a genetic hypothesis for the basis of intelligence among Ashkenazi Jews, and which Bret Stephens would cite in a later article.

2013: Defense of Bush Administration's Evidence

As late as 2013, Bret Stephens continued to insist that the Bush administration had "solid evidence" for going to war in Iraq, despite the absence of weapons of mass destruction.

2013: Protest Over Pulitzer Citation

In 2013, there was a protest over Bret Stephens's Pulitzer citation omitting his climate change columns.

August 2016: "Disease of the Arab Mind" Column

In August 2016, The Wall Street Journal published a column by Bret Stephens in which he called antisemitism "the disease of the Arab mind", drawing criticism for racist generalization.

2016: Part of Stop Trump Movement

During the 2016 United States presidential election campaign, Bret Stephens became part of the Stop Trump movement, regularly writing articles opposing Donald Trump's candidacy.

February 2017: Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture

In February 2017, Bret Stephens gave the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture at UCLA, denouncing Donald Trump's attacks on the media.

2017: Backlash Against Hiring by The New York Times

In 2017, there was a strong backlash against Bret Stephens's hiring by The New York Times due to his positions on climate change.

2018: Calls for Trump's Impeachment

In 2018, Bret Stephens argued that by the same logic Republicans used to justify the impeachment of Bill Clinton, they should impeach Trump.

August 2019: Bedbug Tweet Controversy

In August 2019, Bret Stephens sent a complaint about a tweet where a professor called him a "bedbug", leading to a column about "rhetoric of infestation", attention online, and a tweet from then-president Donald Trump.

December 2019: "The Secrets of Jewish Genius" Controversy

In December 2019, Bret Stephens published a column titled "The Secrets of Jewish Genius," leading to accusations of eugenics and racism. The New York Times later deleted a section of the column.

February 2021: Criticism of Donald McNeil Dismissal

In February 2021, Bret Stephens wrote a column critical of The New York Times's dismissal of Donald McNeil. The column was spiked but leaked to the New York Post.

2023: Speaks at University of Chicago's Class Day

In 2023, Bret Stephens spoke at the University of Chicago's Class Day, during convocation weekend. His invitation provoked backlash for his views about Israel.