Candace Owens Faces Revolt from Fans After Private Meeting with Erika Kirk

In a dramatic turn within conservative media circles, Candace Owens, the outspoken podcaster and former Turning Point USA (TPUSA) associate, is facing significant backlash from segments of her own audience following a high-profile private meeting with Erika Kirk, widow of the late Charlie Kirk.

Charlie Kirk, co-founder of TPUSA, was assassinated on September 10, 2025, at a Utah college event. Authorities charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with the murder, citing overwhelming evidence including fingerprints, surveillance footage, and Robinson's confession to family members. However, Owens has spent months on her popular podcast promoting alternative theories, suggesting potential involvement or cover-ups by TPUSA staff, foreign entities (including Israel, France, and Egypt), and broader conspiracies, claims widely criticized as unsubstantiated and harmful.

The feud escalated publicly when Erika Kirk, now TPUSA's CEO, urged conspiracy theorists to stop spreading painful rumors, noting she had seen FBI evidence confirming Robinson as the lone gunman. Owens responded aggressively, accusing Kirk of hypocrisy and doubling down on her "investigation."The Turning Point: A "Productive" Private MeetingOn December 15, 2025, Owens and Kirk met privately for 4.5 hours, accompanied by TPUSA executives and Owens' family members. Initially planned as a potential livestream debate, it shifted to private amid backlash concerns. Both women described the meeting positively on X (formerly Twitter). Owens posted: "Erika and I had an extremely productive 4 1/2 hour meeting... We agreed much more than I had anticipated... tensions were thawed." Kirk echoed: "Had a very productive conversation with @RealCandaceO

However, Owens' subsequent podcast and a fiery December 17 interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored revealed she maintained core suspicions. She claimed two unnamed TPUSA employees had "foreknowledge" of the assassination (shared privately with Kirk), questioned evidence, and implied federal involvement.

When pressed by Morgan for proof, Owens admitted lacking "concrete evidence" and vowed: "I will NOT stop investigating."Candace Owens during her heated Piers Morgan interview.The Fan Revolt: "Bending the Knee" and "Sold Out"The initial thaw in rhetoric sparked immediate outrage among Owens' conspiracy-oriented followers. Many accused her of "bending the knee," "folding," or being "compromised" after the meeting.Social media posts and YouTube clips circulated claiming Owens' "chat was in revolt," with fans alleging she "got the call" (implying pressure or payoff) and retracted aggressive claims against TPUSA.

Comments flooded platforms: "Candace sold out after meeting Erika," "She backpedaled on the wildest stuff," and some shifted allegiance to other theorists like Ian Carroll, calling him "the last truth-teller left."

Outlets like The Economic Times reported: "Candace Owens 'bends the knee' to Erika Kirk, faces revolt from supporters?"

This split highlights the volatile nature of Owens' audience, cultivated through months of sensational theories that boosted her platform (now over 30 million cross-platform followers) but left little room for nuance or reconciliation.

The controversy has deepened rifts in MAGA circles. Critics, including Tim Pool and Megyn Kelly, label Owens a "grifter" exploiting grief. Supporters defend her right to question authorities. Meanwhile, sources close to TPUSA describe Owens' theories as motivated by personal grudges, including alleged jealousy over past events.

Owens shows no signs of stopping, promising more revelations involving figures like incoming FBI Director Kash Patel. Yet the backlash from her base underscores a key irony: the "monster" of unchecked conspiracism she helped create is now turning inward.In a movement built on distrust of institutions, demanding absolute loyalty to unproven narratives may prove unsustainable, even for one of its loudest voices.