Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing heavy criticism after promoting American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten’s new book, Why Fascists Fear Teachers, which frames political opponents as “fascists.”

On Wednesday, Clinton posted on X a photo of Weingarten holding the book and offered her public endorsement.

“Congratulations to my friend [Weingarten] on ‘Why Fascists Fear Teachers.’ From banning books to controlling curriculum, authoritarians go after public education because it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” Clinton wrote.

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She added, “Randi’s new book is a critical read for this moment.”

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The post immediately drew sharp responses from conservatives, many of whom linked the rhetoric to the political climate that preceded the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Republican strategist Matt Whitlock noted the timing.

“It’s been one week since Charlie Kirk was murdered by a lunatic who wrote about ‘fascists’ on shell casings,” Whitlock posted on X.

“Now, Randi Weingarten has a new book arguing everyone who disagrees with her views on public education – which have destroyed public education in America – is a fascist.”

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Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at the American Culture Project, also criticized the endorsement.

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“Hillary Clinton and Randi Weingarten are going full speed ahead with this disgusting rhetoric right after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Sick people,” DeAngelis wrote.

Others echoed the criticism.

Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec wrote, “Charlie Kirk was murdered exactly one week ago. Here’s Hillary Clinton today.”

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Andrew Gruel, a restaurateur and elected member of the Huntington Beach City Council, commented, “They wrote an entire book on a word they don’t even understand.”

Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross added, “The room. That’s what y’all should read,” while the Republican National Committee used its official account to weigh in: “Democrats Hillary Clinton and Randi Weingarten are still suggesting Republicans are ‘fascists.’ They really can’t help themselves, can they?”

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Weingarten, in a statement to Fox News Digital, defended the book’s message.

“Have they read the book? If they did they’d discover it’s a love letter to teachers,” she said.

The book, released Tuesday, argues that teachers are often targeted by authoritarian governments because they encourage independent thought.

A preview reads, “Attacks on schools and teachers have long been a hallmark of fascist regimes: Throughout history, as many dictators rose to power they began banning books and controlling curriculum. Fascists fear teachers because teachers foster an educated and empowered population that can see past propaganda and scare tactics. Fascists fear teachers because they teach young people how to think for themselves.”

Critics have pointed to the broader pattern of liberal commentators, politicians, and academics labeling conservative figures as “fascists.”

In the wake of Kirk’s assassination, which authorities have linked to a suspect embracing leftist ideology, conservatives have highlighted numerous instances of commentators celebrating or dismissing his death.

Many argue that the rhetoric from figures such as Clinton and Weingarten continues to fuel political hostility.

Clinton’s public support for the book has deepened the ongoing dispute over political language, its impact on public discourse, and its connection to recent events surrounding the death of one of the conservative movement’s most visible leaders.

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