The public feud within the American conservative movement intensified dramatically at the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) AmFest event, escalating into a full-blown media war with zealous pro-Israel neoconservatives like Ben Shapiro on one side, and on the other side, a growing number of conservatives like journalists and commentators Candace Owens, Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson who oppose the costly U.S-Israel relationship.

During his aggressive speech at the four-day event, Thursday, pro-Israel activist Ben Shapiro claimed that Owens is promoting conspiracy theories about the assassination of TPUSA founder, and called other prominent voices like Carlson and SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly, "cowards" for not "denouncing" and excommunicating Owens. The speech sparked swift backlash online.

In a comprehensive response on her podcast, Owens noted that Shapiro was jealous of, and tried to undermine Charlie Kirk, and accused Shapiro of having no loyalty to Kirk or his widow, Erika Kirk who currently runs TPUSA.

Owens revealed that after her firing from The Daily Wire in March 2024, Shapiro personally sought to ruin her reputation. She alleged that Shapiro sent one of his interns to a TPUSA event where she was set to speak, with a malicious question, which she successfully exposed.

The conservative firebrand declared she was "done with" Shapiro. "Fuck you, Ben Shapiro, and the midget horse you rode in on," she said, and claimed Shapiro is fearful of what she might discover in her investigation of Charlie Kirk assassination, “It’s beyond obvious Ben Shapiro is fearful.”

During his own speech Friday, Bannon branded Shapiro a "cancer" and "a hardcore never-Trumper." He accused Shapiro of opposing Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign, attempting to shift support to Ted Cruz, and later jumping on the Ron DeSantis and "Israel First" train after Trump’s return to Mar-a-Lago.

Bannon linked Shapiro’s stance to a broader movement for "Greater Israel" agenda, which he claimed prioritizes Israeli expansionism over American interests, and named Shapiro alongside Jewish supremacist Mark Levin as key figures in this movement.

On her part, Kelly, speaking at the TPUSA event Friday, suggested she's severing ties with Shapiro.

Kelly, who had previously been close to Shapiro, publicly distanced herself from him, saying she was no longer his friend. She criticized both Shapiro and new Jewish CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss for attacking Owens without full context, saying they acted "w/o a damn clue" and failed to consult TPUSA or Erika Kirk before making public accusations.

The SiriusXM host revealed she had been working behind the scenes to mediate tensions between Owens and Erika Kirk and expressed embarrassment that the public attacks had worsened the situation. Erika and Owens met privately in Nashville, Tennessee earlier in the week.

The feud has become a symbolic battle within the MAGA movement, with figures like Shapiro leading the dwindling pro-Israel faction of the American right; while popular figures like Owens and Carlson represent the growing anti-war America First coalition.

Elected conservatives and Republicans have largely stayed out of the debates, except few zealous pro-Israel figures like Senator Cruz and controversial Congressman Randy Fine.

American journalist and commentator Tucker Carlson delivered a fiery speech at the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) AmericaFest 2025 event in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 18, 2025, directly responding to a vile critique from pro-Israel activist Ben Shapiro, who had accused Carlson of enabling antisemitism by hosting controversial figures like Nick Fuentes and failing to "denounce" conspiracy theories about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Carlson defended his journalistic approach, mocked Shapiro’s calls for 'deplatforming,' and emphasized the importance of free speech, while also criticizing the politicization of religion and the moral implications of violence, particularly in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The popular American commentator opened his speech by dismissing Shapiro’s criticism, stating he had laughed at the attempt to "deplatform and denounce people" at a Charlie Kirk event, which he described as antithetical to the principles of free debate that Kirk championed. He highlighted that Kirk had personally invited him to speak at the event and stood firm in his belief that people should be allowed to debate, even if their views are controversial.

Carlson condemned the use of terms like "platform" as a verb, calling it leftist language, and argued that the effort to silence dissenting voices echoed the "Red Guard Cultural Revolution" he once opposed. He criticized the double standard in conservative circles, pointing out that while figures like Candace Owens were accused of spreading conspiracy theories about Kirk’s death, similar claims about the Brown University shooter were also pushed by the same influencers, yet no calls for deplatforming followed when Israel was not the target.

The conservative firebrand addressed Christian Zionists, saying that God does not have a partisan affiliation and that Christians should not use religious doctrine to justify killing innocent people, condemning the moral justifications for violence in war zones like Gaza.

He praised Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, for continuing her husband’s commitment to free speech as the new CEO of TPUSA, framing her leadership as a continuation of the movement’s core values.

Carlson also defended his interview with Nick Fuentes, implying that questioning controversial figures is part of responsible discourse, and argued that Shapiro’s approach of demanding denunciations undermines open debate.

The clash between Shapiro and Carlson at AmericaFest 2025 revealed growing ant-Israel sentiments within the conservative movement, particularly over free speech, the role of controversial figures, and the interpretation of Zionism and foreign policy.

Shapiro had accused Carlson of cowardice for not condemning Owens’ investigative reporting about Kirk’s assassination and for hosting Fuentes, whom he labeled an "evil troll" and "Nazi-loving" figure. Carlson, in turn, portrayed Shapiro’s stance as authoritarian and inconsistent with the principles of free expression that define the conservative movement.