'Charlie-GPT': Candace Owens Ignites Bitter Feud With Erika Kirk Over 'Evil' Gaslighting Claims

Candace Owens has reignited her long-running feud with Erika Kirk after a heckling incident at a Turning Point USA summit in the United States on Friday, 5 June, using social media to mock the organisation's newly appointed leader following a disruption during her speech.

The flashpoint came during Kirk's appearance at a women's leadership event tied to the conservative group, where she now serves as chief executive after the death of her husband, Charlie Kirk, in September 2025. Video circulating online shows an unidentified audience member interrupting roughly 11 minutes into her 17-minute address, repeatedly shouting the allegation that she 'protects paedophiles' — a claim presented without evidence in the clip.

Feud Spills Onto Social Media

Owens, a former ally of the organisation and a one-time associate of Charlie Kirk, wasted little time amplifying the moment. Sharing the footage with her followers, she appeared to relish the disruption, writing that Turning Point had 'chops, screws, and premieres Charlie-GPT' before adding that Kirk 'gets heckled and called a supporter of paedophiles.'

The response online was immediate and polarised. Some supporters echoed Owens' hostility, with one commenter saying they 'despised' figures like Kirk and accusing them of 'manipulating, lying, stealing, and gaslighting.' Others, however, turned their criticism towards Owens herself, dismissing her reaction as predictable and accusing her of acting out of jealousy. One reply described her as 'a clown,' while another claimed she 'would be nothing without her.'

Kirk, 37, did not directly address the heckler's accusation during the event. Instead, footage shows her briefly laughing as members of the audience rose to applaud, allowing her to continue her speech without engaging the claim. There has been no formal statement from her team responding to the allegation heard in the video.

Roots of the Feud

The tension between Owens and Kirk did not emerge in isolation. It has been building since the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at an event at Utah Valley State University on 10 September 2025, a moment that reshaped the organisation's leadership and public image.

In the months that followed, Owens publicly promoted a series of claims and theories surrounding his death, which appear to have strained relations with Kirk, who stepped into the leadership role during a period of intense scrutiny and grief. That shift — from personal tragedy to political prominence — has placed Kirk under a level of attention few organisational leaders face so abruptly.

Kirk herself has remained visible in conservative circles, attending high-profile events including the White House Correspondents' Dinner. More recently, she drew backlash over remarks urging women to 'marry young' and framing their role as one centred on nurturing, comments that fed into broader debates about gender roles within the movement she now represents.

Despite the criticism, she has also attracted support from senior political figures. US Vice President JD Vance referenced Kirk in his book Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, describing a conversation between his wife, Usha Vance, and Kirk shortly after Charlie Kirk's death. In the passage, he recounts Kirk expressing regret about having only two children, a moment he credits with influencing his wife's thinking about expanding their family.

For Owens, the latest incident offers an opportunity to reassert her voice in a space where she once held significant sway. Her framing of the event — and her decision to spotlight an unverified accusation shouted from the crowd — suggests a strategy that leans as much on provocation as it does on commentary.

Whether the episode marks another passing flare-up or a deeper escalation remains unclear. What is evident is that the feud between the two women, once tied by shared affiliations, has hardened into something more public and more personal, with each new moment playing out before an increasingly divided audience.

Nothing has been formally confirmed regarding the allegation raised during the interruption, and it remains an unverified claim that should be treated with caution.