Candace Owens Launches Personal Attack on White House Press Secretary
Conservative provocateur Candace Owens escalated political criticism to a personal level this Tuesday with a targeted jab at White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The right-wing commentator, known for her vocal opposition to American intervention in Iran, shared an unflattering image of Leavitt on social media platform X.
Image and Quote Taken Out of Context
Owens overlaid the image with a statement Leavitt made earlier this month regarding Iranian threats: 'TO BE CLEAR: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did.' This comment was originally made in response to an ABC News story suggesting Iran could potentially attack California with drones following last month's joint US-Israeli operation against Iran.
Accompanying the manipulated image, Owens captioned her post simply: 'Unserious administration'. The photograph of Leavitt featured obvious marks from lip filler procedures and was captured in particularly harsh lighting. This specific image originally appeared in a December Vanity Fair exposé profiling senior Trump administration officials.
Social Media Backlash and Missing Context
Users on X were quick to criticize Owens for omitting crucial context from Leavitt's original statement. YouTuber Joey Salads responded directly: 'Show the whole thing - it actually destroys your entire narrative.' Meanwhile, The Steak for Breakfast Podcast quoted Owens' post while labeling her a 'r****d grifter' in their commentary.
The personal nature of Owens' attack surprised many observers, particularly given that both women's careers have benefited from connections to the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Leavitt has publicly acknowledged Kirk as a key mentor during her political ascent, including his support for her 2022 congressional campaign in New Hampshire.
Shared Connections and Diverging Paths
Despite the public attack, Leavitt maintains close ties with the Turning Point USA organization. She is scheduled to appear alongside Kirk's widow Erika, who assumed leadership of the non-profit following Charlie's murder, at George Washington University on April 2nd. This event forms part of TPUSA's This Is The Turning Point Tour.
Owens herself has upcoming engagements in Washington DC this week. The podcaster is set to speak at the Catholics For Catholics 3rd annual Catholic Prayer For America Gala on Thursday, March 19. Although Catholics For Catholics has previously partnered with Turning Point USA, the organization appears to have no involvement with this particular event or Owens' scheduled speech.
During her DC appearance, Owens will also interview former Trump Administration national security official Joe Kent. This comes amid ongoing tensions between Owens and elements of Trump's circle following Kirk's assassination last September.
Ongoing Tensions Following Charlie Kirk's Death
Shortly after Kirk's murder, Owens appeared to implicitly blame members of President Trump's administration for the tragedy. During an October episode of her show, she remarked: 'He gave so much of his life to Trump and to politics, and they were just like NOPE. That's it... So here's a holiday. What is with them giving them a holiday after they kill them? As soon as they give you a holiday, they definitely killed you. There's no question - they killed you.'
A spokesperson for Owens subsequently denied she had suggested Trump was responsible for Kirk's death, clarifying: 'Candace never stated that Trump killed Kirk. If you spent the time to watch her full episode, instead of regurgitating a distorted clip that Candace's opposition paid someone to post, you would know Candace was questioning the FBI covering up Kirk's death.'
These tensions were further evident when Owens was excluded from speaking at Kirk's memorial service in Arizona last year. Owens claimed the event, which attracted nearly 100,000 attendees, was 'being controlled by the White House.' She added: 'Why would I be invited by anyone in Trump's Zionist administration, as I am speaking about the topics that I am speaking... It's common sense they're not going to allow me to share the stage.'
Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10 while addressing a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Twenty-two-year-old Tyler Robinson, a left-wing college dropout, faces charges for the assassination.
