Josh Hammer

Hammer was born in Westchester County, New York, to a Jewish family.{{cite web|url=https://www.amimagazine.org/2020/10/21/josh-hammer/|title=Understanding These Volatile Times|last=Frankfurter|first=Yitzhok|work=Ami Magazine|date=October 21, 2020|accessdate=June 12, 2023}} He attended what he called a "fairly Reform" synagogue growing up.{{Cite web |title=Interview with Josh Hammer |url=https://www.maxraskin.com/interviews/josh-hammer |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=Interviews with Max Raskin |language=en-US}}

Hammer graduated from Duke University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics.{{Cite web |title=Josh Hammer |url=https://www.yaf.org/speakers/josh-hammer/ |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=Young America's Foundation |language=en}} After graduating, he worked in antitrust research.{{cite news|url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3908764|title=How Do You Solve a Problem Like Amazon?|publisher=SSRN|ssrn=3908764 |access-date=19 February 2023}} He later earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 2016. In law school, he was active in the Federalist Society and the Edmund Burke Society. He has also been a fellow with the Claremont Institute and the James Wilson Institute.

After graduating from law school, Hammer worked for sixteen months at the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He then clerked for Judge James C. Ho on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. While establishing himself as an editor at The Daily Wire and contributor at TheBlaze, he also worked as of counsel at the First Liberty Institute.

Starting in 2020, Hammer joined Newsweek as opinion editor. He has since assumed the title of senior editor-at-large.{{Cite web |last=Hayden |first=Michael Edison |date=November 4, 2022 |title=Newsweek Embraces the Anti-Democracy Hard Right |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2022/11/04/newsweek-embraces-anti-democracy-hard-right |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=Southern Poverty Law Center |language=en}} He is also the host of The Josh Hammer Show, a Newsweek podcast and syndicated weekly radio show.{{cite web |url=https://radioink.com/2023/11/01/newsweeks-josh-hammer-starts-news-talk-syndication-in-seattle/ |title=Newsweek's Josh Hammer Starts News/Talk Syndication In Seattle|website=Radio Ink |date=November 2023 |access-date=3 November 2023 }} Also in 2020, he joined Creators Syndicate as a syndicated columnist and became a research fellow at the pro-national conservatism Edmund Burke Foundation, where his scholarship "specializes in the Anglo-American jurisprudential tradition."{{Cite news |title=Josh Hammer - Edmund Burke Foundation |language=en-US |publisher=Edmund Burke Foundation |url=https://burke.foundation/people/josh-hammer/ |access-date=2022-06-11}} In 2023, he was named a fellow at the Florida-based Palm Beach Freedom Institute.{{Cite news |title=Who We Are |language=en-US |publisher=Palm Beach Freedom Institute|url=https://palmbeachfreedom.org/who-we-are/ |access-date=2022-06-11}} His recent scholarship includes the article "Common Good Originalism," published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, in which he attempts to theorize a "middle-ground position" and fusion of originalism and common good constitutionalism.{{Cite journal |last=Hammer |first=Josh |date=2021 |title=Common Good Originalism |url=https://journals.law.harvard.edu/jlpp/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2021/06/Final-Hammer.pdf |journal=Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy |volume=44 |issue=3}}{{Cite web |date=2021-08-19 |title=Explaining Common-Good Originalism Does Not Help Its Case |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/08/explaining-common-good-originalism-does-not-help-its-case/ |access-date=2022-06-25 |website=National Review |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Ward |first1=Ian |title=Critics Call It Theocratic and Authoritarian. Young Conservatives Call It an Exciting New Legal Theory. |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/12/09/revolutionary-conservative-legal-philosophy-courts-00069201 |access-date=10 December 2022 |website=Politico |language=en}} With the natural law scholar Hadley Arkes, Matthew Peterson, and Garrett Snedeker, Hammer co-authored in 2021 the influential manifesto "A Better Originalism," arguing for "a bolder, more robust jurisprudence rooted in the principles and practices of American constitutionalism."{{cite news|url=https://americanmind.org/features/a-new-conservatism-must-emerge/a-better-originalism/|title=A Better Originalism|publisher=The American Mind|access-date=18 March 2021}}

Hammer has also contributed to the University of St. Thomas Law Journal.{{cite news|url=https://fedsoc.org/contributors/josh-hammer|title=Josh Hammer|publisher=Federalist Society|access-date=19 February 2023}} He previously hosted America on Trial with Josh Hammer, a legal podcast primarily focused on the 2024 United States presidential election.{{cite web |url=https://www.clayandbuck.com/josh-hammer/ |title=Josh Hammer on the Trump Trials and the Border Battle |work=Clay and Buck |date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=30 January 2024}} Hammer remains a member of the bar in Texas and serves as senior counsel for both the Article III Project and the Internet Accountability Project.{{cite web|url=https://www.article3project.org/about|title=Article 3 Project About|website=Article 3 project|access-date=26 April 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://theiap.org/about/|title=IAP About|website=IAP|access-date=26 April 2024}}

The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that the Newsweek opinion section under Hammer's tenure had "emerged as a hub for opinion pieces authored by radical right activists",{{Cite web |last1=Gais |first1=Hannah |last2=Hayden |first2=Michael Edison |date=December 11, 2022 |title=White Nationalists, Other Republicans Brace for 'Total War' |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2022/12/11/white-nationalists-other-republicans-brace-total-war |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Southern Poverty Law Center |language=en}} noting its elevation of conspiracy theorists such as Jack Posobiec and Dinesh D'Souza, and its publication of conspiracy theories about COVID-19.{{Cite web |last=Hayden |first=Michael Edison |date=November 4, 2022 |title=Newsweek Embraces the Anti-Democracy Hard Right |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2022/11/04/newsweek-embraces-anti-democracy-hard-right |access-date=2022-11-06 |publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |language=en}}

In December 2022, Hammer attended the annual gala for the New York Young Republican Club, along with noted far-right figures such as Posobiec, Steve Bannon, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Peter Brimelow.

Hammer is the author of the book, Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West, from Radius Book Group.{{cite news |url=https://radiusbookgroup.com/book/israel-civilization-the-fate-of-the-jewish-nation-and-the-destiny-of-the-west/|title=Israel & Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West|publisher=Radius Book Group|access-date=19 January 2025}}

File:Josh Hammer.jpg

An outspoken conservative, Hammer is a vocal commentator on conservative political, legal, and cultural issues at various publications. Hammer is a contributor to programs on networks such as Fox News, Fox Business, Newsmax, and One America News Network.{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-york-times-fraught-history-covering-jews-israel-lambasted-again-report-hasidic-schools|title=New York Times' fraught history covering Jews, Israel draws fresh backlash amid report on Hasidic schools|publisher=Fox News| access-date=19 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://theiap.org/media/in-the-news/watch-josh-hammer-joins-one-america-news/|title=WATCH: Josh Hammer Joins One America News|publisher=Internet Accountability Project|access-date=19 February 2023}}

Hammer is vocal about Jewish- and Zionist-related issues; he has debated Peter Beinart{{cite news|url=https://www.miryaminstitute.org/commentary-blog/tag/Josh+Hammer|title=Israel's New Election: No One Else but Bibi|publisher=Miryam Institute|access-date=19 February 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://peterbeinart.substack.com/p/why-i-debate-people-with-whom-i-disagree|title=Why I Debate People With Whom I Disagree|publisher=Substack|access-date=19 February 2023}} about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and Alan Dershowitz about the 2023 Israeli judicial reform dispute.{{cite news|url=https://www.eventbrite.com/e/alan-dershowitz-vs-josh-hammer-israels-judicial-reform-pro-and-con-tickets-538054685047|title=Alan Dershowitz vs. Josh Hammer "Israel's Judicial Reform: Pro and Con"|publisher=EventBrite|access-date=2 March 2023}}

Hammer was involved with Senator Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign.{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/2016/2/2/10892740/ted-cruz-iowa-caucus-speech|title=Iowa caucus: Ted Cruz echoes Ronald Reagan in victory speech|publisher=Vox|access-date=19 February 2023}} Hammer was invited to the Florida governor’s mansion to meet with Governor Ron DeSantis in January 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/06/16/maga-influencers-flock-to-florida-chasing-political-clout-and-connections/|title=MAGA influencers flock to Florida, chasing political clout and connections|publisher=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=19 February 2023}} Hammer currently sits on the boards of advisors of American Moment,{{cite news|url=https://www.americanmoment.org/board-of-advisors/|title=Board of Advisors |publisher=American Moment|access-date=19 February 2023}} the New York Young Republican Club{{cite news|url=https://nyyrc.com/about/|title=About|publisher=NYYRC|access-date=19 February 2023}} and the United Jewish Gun Coalition.{{cite news|url=https://ujgc.org/who-we-are/|title=Who we are|publisher=NYYRC|access-date=1 September 2024}}

In May 2023, Hammer cofounded Jews Against Soros, a coalition of Jews who oppose the political influence of George Soros.{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/activists-launch-jews-against-soros-oppose-mega-donors-radical-left-wing-influence|title=Activists launch Jews Against Soros to oppose mega-donor's 'radical left-wing influence'|publisher=Fox News|access-date=1 June 2023}}

Hammer describes growing up in a "very, very assimilated" Jewish environment, but has since become Orthodox.

In December 2022, Hammer proposed to Shir Cohen at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2023/01/04/how-long-can-mccarthy-hang-on-00076287|title=POLITICO Playbook: How long can McCarthy hang on?|publisher=Politico|access-date=19 February 2023}} They were married in December 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2023/12/19/can-big-money-power-a-haley-surprise-00132487|title=Playbook PM: Can big money power a Haley surprise?|publisher=Politico|access-date=20 December 2023}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.newsweek.com/josh-hammer Newsweek biography]
• [https://www.creators.com/author/josh-hammer Creators Syndicate page]

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Category:American political commentators

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:People associated with Kirkland & Ellis

Category:American columnists

Category:American Zionists

Category:Duke University alumni

Category:University of Chicago Law School alumni

Category:American Jews

Category:People from Florida

Category:Texas lawyers