Senator Schmitt Frames America as Settlers Heritage at NatCon Conference

Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri addressed the National Conservatism Conference on September 3, 2025, arguing that American identity is rooted in European settler heritage and that immigration policy should prioritize cultural continuity over demographic diversity. His speech drew criticism from civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers who characterized it as promoting white nationalist ideology using coded language. Schmitt defended the speech as advocating for a coherent national identity.