Explosive claim around Charlie Kirk’s killing sparks MAGA civil war

While the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk last month launched a flurry of conspiracy theories, an explosive new claim made Monday by one of Kirk’s former associates has sparked a civil war among the MAGA right.

“Charlie was done with Israel bullying him, and I am now going to present to you proof of what I am saying,” said far-right influencer Candace Owens on Monday. “This is an actual group chat which happened two days before Charlie Kirk was assassinated.”

Owens went on to share an image of an alleged group chat that included Kirk and eight other individuals, naming just one of the other eight: Rob McCoy, the co-chair of Kirk’s conservative advocacy organization Turning Point USA.

In the text messages, Kirk allegedly complained about having “lost another huge Jewish donor,” something that would cost him “$2 million a year” because he insisted on inviting Tucker Carlson – an outspoken critic of the United States’ support for Israel – to an upcoming Turning Point event.

That donor is suspected to be conservative billionaire Robert Shillman, largely due to a New York Times report last week that said Shillman had “angrily questioned Kirk for giving a platform to Carlson,” and that he had informed Kirk he would be withdrawing a $2 million pledge to Turning Point, an account that lines up with Kirk’s alleged comments.

Theories that Kirk had become disillusioned with Israel in recent months were also suggested by Carlson, who, while appearing on the Charlie Kirk Show just days after Kirk’s killing, suggested Israeli leadership was “disgusting” for trying to use his death to promote their own political causes. Carlson also said he was “worried” for Kirk due to the “enormous pressure” he was under from donors.

While Owens’ image of the supposed group chat has not been independently verified, she received significant blowback from many other MAGA figures for her continued suggestions that Israel may have played a role in Kirk’s killing, a suggestion that spread so wildly online that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even addressed the allegation, calling it “insane.”

Laura Loomer, who wields a “breathtaking influence” in the Trump administration, characterized Owens’ suggestions that Israel played a role in Kirk’s killing as “psychotic rants” in a social media post on X late Monday. Dinesh D’Souza, a right-wing filmmaker whose 2022 conspiracy film “2,000 Mules” saw him sued and forced to apologize, said Owens’ “wild allegations” were nothing more than “bogus investigations.”

Others MAGA figures have suggested they support Owens’ claims, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), another harsh critic of the United States’ support of Israel, who shared a video of Owens’ allegations Monday evening on social media. Loomer fired off at Greene for doing so Tuesday morning, accusing the lawmaker of wanting to “rip apart evangelical coalitions in the GOP to undermine [President Donald] Trump.”

And other MAGA figures sat on the fence on the issue, such as conservative media personality Megyn Kelly, who refused to condemn Owens and Carlson when pressed to do so online.