Charlie Kirk’s close friend Candace Owens tears into widow Erika after she begged for conspiracies to stop
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Conservative firebrand Candace Owens tore into Erika Kirk after she publicly rejected conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of her husband, activist Charlie Kirk.
In her most recent podcast episode, Owens suggested that Erika’s behavior was suspicious, claiming she attempted to dismiss inconsistencies surrounding the murder of Charlie, whom Owens was close friends with. She also accused Erika of exhibiting “Meghan Markle syndrome,” which, she claims, is “where you want privacy when you want it, you want publicity when you want it.”
It comes three months after Charlie was shot and killed while speaking to a large crowd at Utah Valley University. Officials have said that the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, acted alone.
Owens has repeatedly, and baselessly, charged the government with concealing information and has suggested that other countries may have been involved.
Erika, the CEO of Turning Point USA — the conservative organization her late husband founded — was interviewed by FOX News on Wednesday, during which she rebuffed the conspiracy theorists who have leveled unproven claims about the assassination.
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Candace Owens went on a rant against Erika Kirk, claiming she suffers from ‘Meghan Markle syndrome’ after Kirk pushed back against conspiracy theories about her husband’s death. (Candace Owens)
“Come after me,” she said. “Call me names. I don’t care. Call me what you want. Go down that rabbit hole. Whatever. But when you go after my family, my Turning Point USA family, my ‘Charlie Kirk Show’ family. When you go out for the people that I love, and you’re making hundreds and thousands of dollars every single episode going after the people that I love, because somehow they’re in on this? No.”
“This is righteous anger because this is not okay,” she continued. “It’s not healthy. This is a mind virus. Yes, I believe in our judicial system. I do. We have a hell of a team working on this — excuse my French — but this is not okay.”
Still, she said she remains unflappable and added she doesn’t have time to “address the noise.”
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Erika Kirk said ‘it’s not healthy’ to spread theories on her husband’s death like many have (Fox News/ Jesse Watters Primetime)
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Erika Kirk clapped back at the ‘conspiracy theorists’ probing her husband’s death (Getty Images)
Owens, who has millions of followers and subscribers online, quickly responded, going on a lengthy rant about Erika during an episode of her podcast released on Wednesday.
She said that her Fox News’ interview “completely missed the mark for me. I am sorry it just has.”
Owens honed in on Erika’s comment about not having enough time to address conspiracy theories, pointing out that she’s participated in numerous interviews with reporters in recent weeks.
“None of this is passing the vibe check,” Owens added. “You are not changing my mind about the fact that something weird happened that day and that TPUSA is acting funny because you give an impassioned plea and speak about Nehemiah on Fox News.”
The Independent has contacted TPUSA and Owens for comment.
Later in the episode, she applauded Tucker Carlson — another conservative media personality — for backing her claims about Charlie’s assassination.
In a video posted on X on Wednesday, Carlson said, “We should not necessarily trust the FBI…no American is under some moral obligation to believe everything the government tells you, particularly institutions or agencies that have a long documented, factually documented track record of committing crimes.”
Owens’ comments prompted a flurry of reactions online.
“Candace Owens has bigger balls than 99% of men who post their opinions online,” manosphere influencer Tristan Tate wrote on X. “She’s ready and willing to face the fire.”
“Never thought I’d unfollow Candace Owens,” Deon Joseph, a law enforcement veteran, wrote on X. “When you decide weeks after a woman and her children lost a husband/father so tragically, to exploit that man’s death, spread rumors about his family and close friends calling yourself his friend, I can’t roll with that.”
“It’s hard to watch,” he added. “A widow can’t even simply morn her husband. It’s a question of decency for me.”
Owens previously claimed that Charlie hired her “on the spot” after their first meeting in 2017. They participated in multiple speaking engagements together and formed a close friendship. In a video posted after his death, she said they “were always laughing” and bickered “like an old couple.”
It’s hardly the first time Owens has courted controversy.
In 2024, she began promoting a conspiracy theory that French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte is secretly transgender. In response, the Macrons launched a defamation suit against Owens, accusing her of spreading “outlandish” and “far-fetched fictions.”
