James Murdoch rebukes Donald Trump over Charlottesville and pledges $1m to fight neo-Nazis

Fox chief executive condemns US President’s reaction to violence, in break with father Rupert who has been a frequent Trump ally

The Fox chief executive says ‘vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation’ (Getty)

James Murdoch, the chief executive of 21st Century Fox and the son of a frequent ally of Donald Trump, condemned the US President’s performance after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and pledged to donate $1m (£780,000) to the Anti-Defamation League.

In an email on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times and confirmed as authentic by a spokesman for Mr Murdoch’s company, the Fox scion gave an extraordinarily candid statement against the white supremacist sentiment that swept through Virginia last weekend.

It was also the most outspoken that a member of the Murdoch family has been in response to the week’s events.

Mr Murdoch’s father, Rupert Murdoch, is a conservative media mogul who has become an informal adviser to Mr Trump, recently dining with the President in the White House residence. The younger Mr Murdoch has been less outspoken about his political views, making the email even more surprising.

With a subject line reading, “Subject: Personal note from James Murdoch re: ADL”, Mr Murdoch addressed the note to “friends”.

“I’m writing to you in a personal capacity, as a concerned citizen and a father. It has not been my habit to widely offer running commentary on current affairs, nor to presume to weigh in on the events of a given day save those that might be of particular or specific concern to 21CF and my colleagues,” he wrote.

There are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists

James Murdoch

“But what we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people.”

He added: “These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation – a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals. The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob. I can’t even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.”

Mr Murdoch said that he and his wife, Kathryn, plan to donate $1m to the Anti-Defamation League, urging others to follow suit.

“We hardly ever talk about our charitable giving, but in this case I wanted to tell you and encourage you to be generous too. Many of you are supporters of the Anti-Defamation League already – now is a great time to give more,” he wrote.

The Anti-Defamation League has been outspoken against Mr Trump since early in his campaign, including tracking an uptick in white supremacists supporting him as he declined repeatedly to forcefully denounce them or disavow their support.

New York Times