An outspoken anti-Semite who maintains a blog that states "Jews are the enemies of God and the children of the devil" has faced no professional repercussions as a State Department diplomat, communications obtained by the Washington Free Beacon reveal.
Fritz Berggren first caught the attention of State Department officials in February 2021 after reports surfaced that he ran a blog that included posts claiming that "Jesus Christ came to save the whole world from the Jews … they who are the seed of the Serpent that brood [sic] of vipers." At the time, Berggren worked as a foreign service officer for a State Department division that oversaw special immigrant visas for Afghans.
The ensuing media firestorm did not seem to hurt Berggren, who helps craft the nation’s foreign policy to this day—and posts nearly every day on his blog BloodandFaith.com. A State Department spokesman told Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), in an. Oct. 26 letter shared with the Free Beacon, that "Mr. Berggren is currently an employee of the Department of State. Beyond confirming his current employment, the Department does not comment on personnel files or records."
Grassley initially inquired about Berggren’s employment status in a July 14 letter. In response to the State Department's Oct. 26 letter, and in light of Hamas's attacks, Grassley on Monday sent a follow-up letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding more details on Berggren’s day-to-day responsibilities. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Free Beacon, Grassley chides the State Department for its "failed response" to his July inquiry.
"Anti-Semitism is disgusting and wrong. I’m outraged the State Department continues to employ an individual who espouses these hateful beliefs," Grassley told the Free Beacon. "The State Department has barely lifted a finger to address my oversight questions regarding Mr. Berggren’s role at the agency, even as our ally Israel fights off an attack on its very existence."
"The Department of State has a moral obligation to explain why Fritz Berggren is fit to continue serving the taxpayer," Grassley added.
In addition to his blog—which as of this writing was last updated Oct. 26—Berggren hosts a podcast where he makes such pronouncements as "Who’s the enemy? It’s the Jew."
After Hamas invaded Israel, Berggren wrote a blogpost called "That Middle-East Thing…" on Oct. 12, which said, "We are invaded, egged on by traitors and Jews who hate the White race."
"The pressure on Whites and Christian will increase until we respond in self-defense. Be a hero to your race and God—rise up," he wrote.
Both the White House and the State Department have struggled to condemn anti-Semitism following the worst attacks on Israel since the Jewish state’s founding. After Hamas’s assault, the State Department tried to comfort employees with an internal email that made no mention of Jews or Israel.
When asked about the rise of anti-Semitism, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration "has not seen any credible threats," but that "Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks."
Update Oct. 30, 10:56 a.m.: This piece was updated to include additional information about Sen. Grassley's letters to the State Department.