Tennessee State Senator Paul Rose (R) told a Jewish journalist he would hit him in the face on Tuesday after being accused of “doing Israel’s bidding as they push us into war.”
The state senator got upset with Justin Kanew, the founder of Tennessee Holler, after Kanew questioned Rose about a bill that would require Tennessee to refer to the Palestinian West Bank as “Judea and Samaria.”
Kanew followed Rose around the Tennessee State Capitol and asked, “Who gave you that bill, Senator Rose?
Who gave you the bill about the West Bank? Are you worried at all about Israel’s influence on our government as they push us into war? You know they pushed us into a war, Senator Rose, and here you are doing their bidding. What do you think about that?”
The journalist continued, “You’re doing Israel’s bidding as they push us into war.
I say this as a Jew with family in Israel, Senator Rose. Why are you doing Israel’s bidding as they push us into war?”
Rose then snapped, “You know, if I was at home, I’d bust your face right now, but I’m not.”
“Are you threatening me?”
asked Kanew.
“No, sir, I’m not,” replied Rose.
After one of Rose’s associates said, “I’m the witness that he didn’t,” Kanew responded, “The camera is the witness that he did, so don’t worry about that.”
Kanew continued, “Senator Rose, why are you doing Israel’s bidding while they’re pushing us into war?
That’s the question, and I ask you this as somebody with family in Israel, whose family survived the Holocaust.” “Are you concerned at all that you’re doing Israel’s bidding as they push us into war, Senator Rose? There are Republicans who have issue with this. It’s not just Democrats. This isn’t a partisan issue. Why is it our business to be changing the name of something?”
“Senator, who gave you the West Bank bill?”
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) March 25, 2026
ROSE: “If I was at home I’d bust your face right now.”🤔
A triggered @PaulRoseTN (R) fantasized about punching @Kanew for asking about his bill forcing TN to call the West Bank “Judea & Samaria” & if he’s concerned 🇮🇱 pushed us to war pic.twitter.com/ZynFr8Qytj
As the state senator entered an elevator, Kanew concluded, “Take a swing at me then, Paul.
Go ahead. See what happens. Paul, you’re too old to be doing stuff like that, man. You’re too old to be threatening people, dude. Maybe once upon a time, Paul, but I don’t see it right now. I don’t see it. I don’t see it these days, Paul.”
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