Conservative commentator Candace Owens has emerged from a marathon private meeting with Erika Kirk, the widow of the late Charlie Kirk, stating she remains unconvinced by the official narrative surrounding his assassination. The much-anticipated summit, which lasted four and a half hours on Monday, was an attempt to address Owens's public scepticism and conspiracy theories about the September shooting.
A Tense Summit and Unanswered Questions
Owens admitted to her podcast audience that she was nervous ahead of the encounter, even bringing her own water to the secret location in Nashville, though she claimed she did not drink it. The central purpose for Owens was to be reassured of the accepted belief that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson shot Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on 10 September. "I was hoping to hear that," Owens said, explaining she wanted to understand why Turning Point USA (TPUSA) felt so confident in Robinson's guilt.
According to Owens, Erika Kirk arrived prepared with phone records and an attorney to counter her theories. However, Owens claimed that when she pressed for concrete evidence specifically implicating Robinson, the discussion turned to the lawyer. She said the legal representative would not confirm the existence of footage showing Robinson "taking the shot" and indicated they possessed little beyond the initial affidavit. "What I got from the lawyer did not make me feel that Tyler Robinson shot Charlie Kirk," Owens stated, leaving her deeply sceptical.
Escalating Feud and Wider Allegations
The meeting followed a week of heightened public tension. Erika Kirk had appeared on Fox News, condemning "evil" conspiracy theorists profiting from her husband's murder online—a remark widely seen as targeting Owens. Owens retaliated by accusing Kirk of "hypocrisy" and "Meghan Markle syndrome" for seeking privacy while doing national television interviews.
Owens's theories have extended far beyond the crime itself. She has suggested that some TPUSA employees "betrayed" Charlie Kirk and has repeatedly insinuated a connection to Israel, claiming Prime Minister Netanyahu once made a funding offer to TPUSA that Kirk refused. Erika Kirk stated she had no knowledge of such an offer. Owens also questioned a timeline based on call logs from Charlie Kirk's chief of staff, Mikey McCoy.
Aftermath and Political Repercussions
Despite the apparent lack of resolution for Owens, insiders described the meeting as "productive," with hopes the pair had "buried the hatchet." Erika Kirk tweeted that they had a "very productive conversation" and looked forward to TPUSA's upcoming AmericaFest conference. She flew privately from Arizona to Nashville for the talks, which were also attended by Owens's husband, her cousin, and TPUSA's COO Justin Streiff.
The feud has exposed deep fractures within conservative circles. Owens, a former TPUSA communications director, commands a massive podcast audience, with episodes on Kirk's death reportedly generating significant revenue. Her allegations have forced Erika Kirk to defend the organisation she now leads as CEO while grieving her husband. The controversy even drew in media personality Megyn Kelly, who helped arrange the meeting and credited herself on her SiriusXM show.
Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a TPUSA event in Orem, Utah. Tyler Robinson has been charged with murder, with prosecutors alleging he confessed via text messages. As AmericaFest approaches, where Erika Kirk will co-headline with Vice President JD Vance, the movement attempts to unite just three months after its founder's death, even as fundamental questions continue to be amplified from within.
