LOS ANGELES — David Horowitz, a conservative commentator, author and activist who shifted from Marxism to champion right-wing causes, died Tuesday at age 86, according to the David Horowitz Freedom Center, the think tank he founded.
Horowitz died after a prolonged battle with cancer, the center announced on the social media platform X.
“On behalf of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, we are very saddened to announce the passing of the Center’s founder, David Horowitz,” the statement read.
His son, Benjamin Horowitz, co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, shared an obituary on social media reflecting on his father’s decades-long career in media and conservative activism. The tribute highlighted Horowitz’s numerous published works and his support of former President Donald Trump.
According to the post, when Benjamin Horowitz met Trump last year and mentioned his father, “President Trump’s face immediately lit up and he insisted that Benjamin get David on the phone immediately. Hospitalized and weak, David was still delighted to speak with the President.”
Born in Queens, New York, Horowitz was originally a Marxist before becoming one of the most vocal conservative voices in American politics. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Horowitz is survived by his wife, April Mullvain; sons, Benjamin and Jonathan; and daughter, Anne. A daughter, Sarah Rose, died in 2008.
