Candace Owens targets Charlie Kirk’s widow in ‘Bride of Charlie’ series; draws brutal backlash

Podcaster Candace Owens has triggered a political and media storm after releasing a trailer for a new investigative series centred on Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk. The teaser for the project, titled ‘Bride of Charlie’, was posted on X on Monday, ahead of the first episode’s release on 25 February. 

The video, which opens with news coverage of Charlie Kirk’s assassination last year at Utah Valley University, then shifts to footage of Erika Kirk acting in her role as CEO of Turning Point USA. It also contains insinuations of a cover-up, along with pointed references to Israel and “Zionists”. Owens captioned the trailer: “We’ll be back on Wednesday.”

Online backlash intensifies

The teaser drew swift condemnation across conservative and mainstream media circles. TV personality Meghan McCain criticised Owens sharply, writing on X: “Pure, unadulterated … evil. Who in God's name would put a woman whose husband was brutally assassinated in front of the entire world through this? I am so upset by this, I am just so deeply sorry Erika and her family have to be put through this.”

Seth Dillon questioned Owens’ motives, asking: “What would Charlie have to say about this?” In another post, he reposted commentary from Ben Shapiro declaring that “@RealCandaceO is evil.”

A spokesperson for Owens told The Post: “We have no comment. The series will speak for itself, and you can watch the premiere episode [Wednesday].” Erika Kirk and TPUSA have not publicly responded.

Owens’ claims and the widening rift

Owens has repeatedly questioned the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s killing on 10 September 2025, when the conservative activist was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. Police arrested Tyler Robinson, now charged with aggravated murder and facing the death penalty if convicted. Robinson recently failed in an attempt to have prosecutors removed from the case on conflict-of-interest grounds.

During several episodes of her podcast, Owens argued she does not believe Robinson acted alone, suggesting – without evidence – that Kirk may have been targeted by a “military” operation and implying a link to Israel.

She also claimed that pro-Israel groups could have been involved in the shooting, an assertion Israeli officials have denied. The speculation has fuelled divisions within the MAGA movement, pitting Owens’ supporters against those defending Erika Kirk.

Conspiracy-fuelled tensions escalate

In September, The Guardian reported on Owens’ earlier podcast titles, including “Charlie Kirk Suspect Charged. Something Isn’t Right…”, “Who Ordered the Hit on Charlie Kirk?” and “They Are Lying About Charlie Kirk.”

Owens further alleged that billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman had staged an “intervention” urging Kirk to maintain unwavering support for Israel – claims he and others present at the meeting have rejected. She suggested Kirk had been offered “a ton of money” to keep to a pro-Israel stance.

In a December episode, Owens recounted a 4.5-hour conversation with Erika Kirk, after which she said she still did not believe Robinson was solely responsible for the killing and implied Israeli involvement or a wider conspiracy.

Owens’ new series has deepened existing fractures within the conservative landscape, with critics arguing it risks further harassment of a grieving widow. Supporters insist it aims to uncover unanswered questions about Kirk’s death.