Candace Owens Drops Leaked Charlie Kirk Texts Amid Claims He Was Coerced Into Silence Over Israel Before His Death

Conservative commentator Candace Owens has released private text messages she claims were sent by the late Charlie Kirk just two days before his assassination, reigniting the deepening fracture within the American right over Israel. In a post on X, Owens alleged that Kirk was unhappy with the pro-Israel cause in the days leading up to his death. Alongside the texts, she wrote that Kirk 'did not support Ben Shapiro's treatment of people over Israel,' that he 'also did not support Talmudic Judaism in general,' and that he 'was being morally blackmailed for over a year and he had had enough.'

The post also directed criticism at Turning Point USA, the organisation Kirk founded. 'I am done with the silence of Turning Point on this issue,' Owens wrote, making clear she views the organisation's failure to address Kirk's alleged private views as a betrayal of his legacy.

What the Texts Say

In screenshots published on Owens' show, Kirk expressed frustration over the pressure he was receiving from pro-Israel donors. The messages read, in part, 'Just lost another huge Jewish donor. $2 million (approximately £1.55 million) a year because we won't cancel Tucker,' and, 'I cannot and will not be bullied like this. Leaving me no choice but to leave the pro-Israel cause.' The texts were reportedly sent to a WhatsApp group that included Jewish associates, and Owens claimed Kirk sent them roughly 48 hours before he was shot dead at Utah Valley University on 10 September 2025.

Another message in the thread showed Kirk had been considering inviting Owens herself to an upcoming event — a move that drew pushback from others in the group chat, with one unidentified member writing 'Please don't invite Candace.'

Turning Point USA Confirms Texts Are Real

Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet confirmed the authenticity of the messages in a video released in October 2025. 'It is authentic,' Kolvet said, adding that he had originally shared the screenshot with 'some people in government' but not publicly, as it had been a private exchange. He argued that Kirk's feelings about Israel were 'complicated and nuanced' and stressed that his private frustrations did not reflect a wholesale change in his public positions.

Kirk's associate Blake Neff elaborated, saying Kirk 'wanted the war to end' and 'recognised Hamas started the war; Hamas could end the war,' while also noting that Kirk 'could tell antisemitism was rising in America. And that upset him.' Kolvet added that Kirk was 'wonderfully defiant' and believed he had 'the right to speak out and have criticism' as a longstanding friend of Israel.

'Done With the Silence'

Owens' latest posts arrive amid a months-long public campaign against Turning Point USA's current leadership. Since Kirk's death, Owens has alleged that France, Israel, and Egypt may have had a role in his assassination, and that Kirk was 'betrayed' by people close to him. Turning Point USA, now headed by Kirk's widow Erika Kirk, accused Owens of 'violating a non-disparagement clause' in a cease-and-desist letter sent in January 2026.

The broader rift with Ben Shapiro traces back to December 2025, when Shapiro publicly criticised Owens at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest conference, accusing her of 'vicious attacks' and 'hideous' conspiracies related to Kirk's assassination. In response, Owens accused Shapiro of placing loyalty to Israel above the American conservative movement, and urged her followers to read a discredited 19th-century antisemitic text. Jewish scholars and organisations have widely rejected the claims promoted in that text as fabrications.

The American Jewish Committee has described Owens' escalating rhetoric as posing real risks to American society, noting that figures including Dennis Prager have publicly warned that her statements revive hatred against Jews and lead followers to see Jewish people as manipulative forces controlling America.

The release of the Kirk texts and Owens' 'moral blackmail' claim mark a significant moment in an ongoing identity crisis within the American conservative movement. Kirk's frustrations with pro-Israel donors had become one of the most scrutinised aspects of his legacy since his assassination; the messages providing evidence that his private views were at odds with the image projected by some allies after his death. Whether Turning Point USA responds publicly to Owens' latest claims is likely to shape how this internal conflict develops in the weeks ahead.