Candace Owens attacks martyr's widow How a right-wing influencer is currently dismantling the Trump base
A video series is dividing Donald Trump's MAGA camp: with an attack on Charlie Kirk's widow, ultra-right-wing influencer Candace Owens is driving conservatives to the brink of self-destruction.
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- With "Bride of Charlie", influencer Candace Owens attacks the widow of conservative martyr Charlie Kirk, of all people.
- Conservative heavyweights like Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino are publicly settling scores with Owens, showing the polarization within Trump's base.
- While the MAGA establishment rages, Owens collects millions of clicks unimpressed - and drives the movement deeper and deeper into a maelstrom of mistrust and mutual attacks.
She's doing it again. The right-wing US activist Candace Owens is on the attack. Her new provocations are directed against the very organization that once made her great - and are dividing Donald Trump's MAGA camp: Owens has launched an attack on Erika Kirk with her new video series "Bride of Charlie". The widow of Charlie Kirk, who was murdered in September, is now head of the conservative movement "Turning Point USA" and something of a darling of the Republicans.
Owens has nevertheless announced an "investigative project" - which is quickly turning into a wildfire in the MAGA camp. The "Washington Post" analyzes that the right-wing influencer and conspiracy theorist, who is very well known in the USA, is aiming right at the heart of the movement that once made her great. And "The Daily Beast" diagnoses: "Now MAGA is eating itself."
What is the MAGA feud all about?
Candace Owens promises to reveal "secrets" from Erika Kirk's past with her series. These are relevant to her role at the head of "Turning Point USA".
After all, "a young woman without any professional qualifications has been appointed to head a charity organization that raised more than 250 million dollars last year". The trailer suggests links to a Romanian aid project and touches on an old, already disproved conspiracy narrative about alleged human trafficking.
However, the first episode hardly provides any concrete evidence. Instead, Owens reads out a letter accusing Erika Kirk of psychopathic traits and dissects her family tree on camera.
Who is Candace Owens - and why is it escalating right now?
Owens is no stranger to the business of provocation. For years, Owens has been cultivating the image of the uncompromising "truth teller" - her merchandise mugs bear inscriptions such as "Conspiracy Girlie " or "We don't know-know, but we know". ("We don't really know, but somehow we know.")
During Donald Trump's first term in office, she herself worked at "Turning Point USA" - as Communications Director. During this time, she became one of the president's most prominent black supporters.
She recently made international headlines with bizarre allegations about Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron: Owens accused her of being a man. Without proof, of course. The presidential couple defended themselves legally against the accusations, but Owens still stands by her claims.
Media researcher Renée DiResta from Georgetown University explains in the "Washington Post" that Owens is a master at placing insinuations instead of verifiable facts. Just enough to make her community feel like insiders.
Why the right-wing criticism of the right-wing influencer is so fierce
However, Owens may have miscalculated with her attack on Erika Kirk. Even before the first episode of "Bride of Charlie" went online, she faced massive headwinds. The prominent right-wing podcaster Ben Shapiro called Owens an "evil, twisted human being". Prominent commentator Dan Bongino declared that if this was the conservative movement, he wanted "no part of it".
At the heart of the outrage: Owens attacks the widow of a murdered conservative hopeful - at the very moment when she was publicly honored by Donald Trump during his State of the Union address. For many conservatives, Owens crosses a moral line
Owens also has supporters - lots of them
At the same time, Owens can rely on a loyal online following. She has around six million followers each on YouTube and Instagram - more than many other prominent right-wing commentators.
For her supporters, she is the only one who dares to ask "uncomfortable questions". In the logic of the digital outrage economy, even anger can become a reach booster. "You can definitely build an audience by turning people against you," says information scientist Casey Fiesler. No wonder the first episode of Owens' controversial Kirk documentary reached more than a million views within hours.
Why Owens divides the MAGA camp so much
The conflict is hitting the conservative movement at a delicate time. After the murder of Charlie Kirk last year, various currents are struggling for interpretative sovereignty. Institutional players such as Turning Point USA are coming up against a loose alliance of right-wing influencers who feel betrayed by "establishment conservatives".
Owens' attack reinforces this fault line. It not only calls into question Erika Kirk's qualifications, but also indirectly the integrity of an organization that is a source of identity for many young conservatives. While Trump demonstratively invokes unity, influencers like Owens are driving polarization. And a pattern is indeed emerging: where liberal opponents used to provide the bogeyman, the attack is now coming from within their own ranks.
Who benefits from Owens' provocations?
In the short term, Owens himself is likely to benefit from the current trench warfare - more clicks, more subscriptions, more visibility. In the long term, however, the dispute could undermine trust in conservative institutions.
If any leader can potentially become the target of a far-reaching smear campaign, a climate of permanent suspicion is created. In any case, Donald Trump's MAGA movement is currently waging its fiercest culture war against itself.
