Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro unleashed a fiery condemnation of fellow political pundit Piers Morgan, branding him the "Jerry Springer of political television" for featuring what he described as "America haters" on his program. The explosive remarks came during Wednesday's episode of Shapiro's YouTube series, where he expressed outrage over Morgan's Tuesday broadcast of "Piers Morgan Uncensored."
Shapiro's Fury Over Dave Smith's Comments
Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, was incensed by comedian-turned-commentator Dave Smith's appearance on Morgan's show. Smith had vehemently criticized the recent joint U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, going so far as to label the United States "arguably the worst terrorist organization in the world." This assertion was based on Smith's reference to civilian casualties in U.S. military operations over the past quarter-century.
Accusing Morgan of making "a mockery of the entire industry by putting on screen whatever dregs are still willing to go on screen," Shapiro drew a direct comparison to the infamous tabloid talk show host Jerry Springer. He further dismissed Smith as both unfunny and profoundly ill-informed on matters of foreign policy.
A Staunch Defense of U.S. and Israel
Shapiro, a well-known and staunch defender of Israel and its alliance with the United States, passionately argued against Smith's characterization. "I’m sorry, but you hate the country if you say America is the worst terrorist organization in the world. You just do," he told his viewers.
He elaborated, stating, "To make that argument, you have to deliberately obscure the difference between actual terrorists — who actually are seeking deliberately to kill innocent people in the name of politics, not collateral damage, deliberately seeking to kill innocent people — and nation-states who are seeking to avoid civilian casualties, often while fighting those actual terrorists."
Shapiro concluded his segment by speculating that Smith was likely thrilled to even be mentioned by him, asserting that debating such "trolls" was a complete waste of time.
Piers Morgan's Swift Retort on Social Media
Hours after Shapiro's criticism was published, Piers Morgan fired back with a pointed reply in a Thursday morning post on the social media platform X. "If people are curious why @benshapiro has suddenly turned on me, this may explain it…" he wrote, while retweeting a video clip from his show dated January.
In his retort, Morgan suggested, "The guy just can’t take anyone criticizing Israel’s govt." This public spat marks a notable rupture in their previously collegial relationship. Prior to this apparent falling-out, Shapiro had been a guest on Morgan's show on multiple occasions, including for a debate concerning Israel and Palestine in 2025.
The clash underscores the intense and often personal nature of contemporary political media discourse, where disagreements over geopolitical stances can swiftly escalate into public feuds between high-profile commentators.
