MAGA Wars: Conspiracy theories about Kirk's death cause an earthquake in right-wing media

In recent months, right-wing podcasters linked to the America First movement have been involved in a series of clashes that reflect a schism in the MAGA movement.

Following the murder of conservative activist and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, commentator Candace Owens ignited controversy by spreading multiple conspiracy theories about his death during an event at Utah Valley University. These statements have provoked the indignation of Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, who has not ruled out that the provocateur may be profiting from such claims.

On the other hand, the founder of The Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro, and Fox News broadcaster Tucker Carlson, who were once allies, have clashed verbally in recent months, criticizing each other's views on Kirk's assassination.

This clash has become a media spectacle that has divided the conservative base and involved supremacist Nick Fuentes, who disqualified Erika Kirk by accusing her of feigning outrage and damaging the credibility of the MAGA movement. To a lesser extent, right-wing journalist Tim Pool has also been in the middle of the controversy.

These clashes show that the MAGA-America First world has become a battleground where ambition and conspiracy theories threaten to destroy unity.

"The conservative movement is in serious danger"

At Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, held Thursday at Phoenix, Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson clashed publicly, exchanging harsh criticisms that exposed deep divisions on the right.

Shapiro criticized Carlson and Owens accusing them of undermining conservative principles. Likewise, the founder of The Daily Wire criticized the Fox News host for providing a platform for controversial figures like Fuentes and for refusing to condemn Owens' conspiracy theories about the Kirk assassination.

"Today, the conservative movement is in serious danger. It is in danger, not just from a left that all too frequently excuses everything, including murder," Shapiro said. "The conservative movement is also in danger from charlatans who claim to speak in the name of principle, but actually traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty, who offer nothing but bile and despair, who seek to undermine fundamental principles of conservatism by championing enervation and grievance. These people are frauds, and they are grifters, and they do not deserve your time," he added.

Shapiro also stated that commentators like Carlson were "guilty of cowardice" for remaining silent while Owens spread his conspiracy-mongering about Kirk's death.

"So, no, Tucker Carlson, it's not an excuse to go silent on Candace's targeting of TPUSA. ... The same holds true of Megyn Kelly, a person I consider a friend, characterizing Candace as a young mother and thus shying away from condemning her actions or fibbing about them. That is a non-starter. Megyn Markle is a young mother," the founder of The Daily Wire added.

Carlson lashes out at Shapiro

Carlson responded later while on stage rebuking Shapiro's calls to silence him, calling them antithetical in the spirit of AmericaFest.

"To hear calls for deplatforming and denouncing people at a Charlie Kirk event, I'm like, 'What? This is hilarious!'" said Carlson. "That guy is pompous," he added about Shapiro.

Carlson then turned from criticizing Shapiro to extolling free speech and its importance in society.

"Deplatform and denounce — 'Why haven't you denounced somebody else' — the whole like, Red Guard, Cultural Revolution thing, that we so hated and feared on the Left, that we did everything we could to usher in a new time, where you can have an actual debate." "I mean this kind of was the whole point of Charlie Kirk's public life and I think that he died for it. I really believe that," Carlson asserted.

It should be recalled that in November British journalist Harry Cole prompted Tucker Carlson to repudiate Candance Owens' "wacko" comments, but Carlson refused and defended his relationship with her.

"Am I going to attack Candace Owens because you think what she says is 'wacko'? I'm probably not going to do that, Harry," Carlson replied. "I would die before I played along with that," he added.

The roots of the conflict

Candace Owens was quick to respond to Shapiro's comments at the TPUSA event by posting on X that every time she listens to the founder of The Daily Wire she becomes more convinced that "Israel is involved in 9/10z (sic)," alluding to the day of Charlie Kirk's death. "He's just way too invested in Charlie's murder," she said.

"He never liked Charlie and he’s now suddenly pretending he had a duty to defend his legacy. ... Ben only cares about Israel’s interests. So Israel is involved," Owens added.

The conspiracies Owens has spread about Kirk's assassination include the involvement of agents of the Israeli Mossad, U.S. military, Egyptian aircraft that allegedly were tracking the conservative activist... and even the alleged involvement of French first lady Brigitte Macron.

This avowed enemy of Israel has lashed out at the Jewish state by presenting on her show an investigation accusing it of being behind the death of the young conservative.

Also, in the beginning of October, Owens challenged the TPUSA board, of which Erika Kirk is a member, to release a statement on the conservative activist's stance on Israel.

"About 48 hours before Charlie Kirk died, Charlie notified Turning Point, as well as Jewish donors and a rabbi, that he had no choice but to abandon the pro-Israel cause outright," she asserted, without providing any proof. "Charlie was done [with them]. He said it explicitly. That he refused to be bullied anymore by the Jewish donors."

A week later, Owens showed text messages allegedly written by the conservative activist on her show, which she used to back up her assertions.

"Stop. That's it"

In an interview aired last week, CBS News' Bari Weiss asked Erika Kirk what she would tell the conservative provocateur, given that she is one of the leading disseminators of conspiracy theories about her husband's murder and who, according to Weiss, is making a lot of money and building her business on those lies.

Erika Kirk responded, "Stop. That's it. That's all I have to say. Stop."

According to CBS, Owens has also made unsubstantiated allegations of fraud against TPUSA. The Treasury Department confirmed last week that none of the tax-exempt entities run by Erika Kirk are under investigation by the IRS.

Matt Walsh, a conservative broadcaster and member of The Daily Wire, a few days ago asked people, "including Candace," to leave Erika Kirk alone.

"Please leave this woman alone. Let her grieve. Let her pick up the pieces of her shattered life in whatever way she sees fit. She deserves that grace, and we owe it to her."

"We have a moral obligation, as children of our heavenly father, to be charitable and kind toward suffering widows, especially to the widow of a man all of us on the right say that we respected and admired."

On Monday, Erika and Candace claimed to have had an "extremely productive" conversation that lasted more than four hours, in which they exchanged information and in which apparently, according to Owens, tensions dissipated. However, Owens admitted that they disagreed on several points and about several people.

Fuentes lashes out at Erika Kirk and Candace Owens

Nick Fuentes sarcastically responded to Erika Kirk's interview with Bari Weiss. The ultra commentator is known for promoting white nationalism, antisemitism and a distinctly reactionary Republican Party.

"Just drop it. Can you just be f***ing normal? It's obvious that you're acting," he blurted out, referring to Erika Kirk's reaction during her interview with CBS when Bari Weiss asked her what she would say to Owens.

Recently, Fuentes also claimed that Owens' own audience no longer believes her, and that all the comments on her channel are negative.

"She's being devoured by the monster she herself created," he stated.

In August, Owens declared to Newsweek that Fuentes is "the Israel of the right" because, she said, he represents a divisive figure within the conservative movement.