Senator Eric Schmitt Employs Former DeSantis Aide Fired Over Nazi Symbol Video

Washington D.C. – Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) has employed Nate Hochman as a policy adviser, a former speechwriter for the Ron DeSantis presidential campaign who was fired in 2023 after being linked to a video featuring Nazi iconography. The connection between Senator Schmitt and Hochman has drawn attention following a tweet from Jason Hart, who described an "unexpected speech from @SenEricSchmitt" and referenced Hochman's past dismissal for using "Nazi iconography in a fascist propaganda ad."

Hochman's departure from the DeSantis campaign stemmed from a video that included the Sonnenrad, a circular symbol associated with Nazi Germany. The symbol appeared near the end of the clip, reportedly as a halo around the Governor's head. DeSantis's campaign confirmed Hochman's firing, stating he had shared the video and reportedly had a hand in its creation.

Prior to the DeSantis campaign incident, Hochman had faced scrutiny for past remarks, including praising neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes's influence on young men. In 2022, Hochman distanced himself from those comments, stating he believed Fuentes's "politics are both wrong on the merits and profoundly immoral." Despite the controversy, Hochman later suggested to Florida Politics that he was unaware the imagery was connected to Nazis when he promoted it.

His current role as a policy adviser in Senator Schmitt's office has been confirmed by public affairs websites like LegiStorm, which maintains a database of congressional employees. Senator Schmitt's office has not yet publicly commented on Hochman's employment or the circumstances surrounding it. This development places a former campaign aide, previously at the center of a significant controversy involving extremist imagery, in a key role within a sitting U.S. Senator's staff.