Tyler Cherry’s Controversial Social Media Posts Resurface Amid Israel-Palestine Conflict
2 min readIn the midst of the Israel-Palestine conflict, Tyler Cherry, who currently serves as the Department of the Interior’s principal deputy communications director and senior spokesperson, finds himself under scrutiny due to a pro-Palestinian social media post from 2014. The White House has notably refrained from commenting on this matter, which has resurfaced during the ongoing Middle East crisis.
The controversial post, shared on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), was authored by Tyler Cherry during the 2014 Gaza War. In the post, Cherry expressed his jubilation at what he described as the “end of the occupation of Palestine.” He added, “Cheersing in bars to ending the occupation of Palestine — no shame and f— your glares #ISupportGaza #FreePalestine.” Notably, the White House, the Interior Department, and Cherry himself have all chosen not to respond to requests for comment regarding this resurfaced social media post.
The 2014 Gaza War was marked by a significant escalation in hostilities, with Palestinian militants launching hundreds of rockets into Israel, prompting a vigorous response from the Israeli government, including airstrikes and a ground invasion. This conflict commenced on July 8, 2014, with Israel’s Operation Protective Edge primarily targeting the destruction of a network of tunnels used by the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group to infiltrate Israel. The operation aimed to thwart potential terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians, particularly in the form of underground incursions.
Although the war resulted in significant casualties, with the United Nations reporting over 2,000 Palestinian deaths and 72 Israeli casualties, U.S. Gen. Martin Dempsey, who served as chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff during that period, lauded Israel for its efforts to minimize collateral damage and civilian casualties during the conflict.
Cherry’s past social media posts have not been limited to the 2014 Gaza War. Some of his earlier posts have attacked police officers as racist and promoted the “Russiagate” conspiracy theory during the Trump administration. While the White House has refrained from commenting on these posts, it has criticized what it characterizes as personal attacks on Cherry. The White House emphasized its commitment to diversity and inclusivity, asserting that “out of many we are one.”
Tyler Cherry, who has been serving in his current role at the Interior Department since 2021, previously worked on President Biden’s campaign, at the left-wing consulting firm SKDK, and for Media Matters for America, a progressive publication.
In the midst of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, Cherry’s controversial social media posts have attracted attention and sparked discussions about the role of government officials and their statements regarding international conflicts and sensitive issues.