Tensions within the MAGA movement reached a boiling point this week after a pastor speaking at a Turning Point USA event slammed right-wing influencer Candace Owens, calling her “demonic” and “evil.” The remarks came from John Amanchukwu Sr., a right-wing preacher and activist, during a Turning Point USA gathering in Washington State. His criticism was aimed at Owens over her controversial reporting on Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, following his tragic death.
Amanchukwu didn’t hold back when speaking about Owens. He accused her of trying to destroy Kirk’s legacy, especially by attacking his wife, Erika Kirk. “Candace Owens [is] spending her time trying to tear down the legacy of Charlie Kirk, fighting against Erika Kirk, his wife! I mean, you have to be cruel and demonic to insinuate the things that she has insinuated over the past several weeks,” Amanchukwu said.
He went on to describe her behavior as “evil” and “corrupt,” claiming Owens seemed bitter about not being in the position that Erika Kirk was in. “It should not take place… she sounds like a jaded person who wishes they were in the role that Charlie Kirk’s wife is in, but she isn’t, and so therefore, she seeks to tear down his legacy,” Amanchukwu continued. He even joked about Owens’ husband, suggesting that if he were in the same situation, he would have already stepped in to stop her.
Owens quickly fired back at Amanchukwu’s remarks, posting on social media to mock him. “’God wants you to CLAP for me,’” she wrote on X, accompanied by a clown emoji, poking fun at a comment Amanchukwu made during his speech when he urged the audience to applaud him.
In her post, Owens also doubled down on her claims about Charlie Kirk’s views on Israel, revealing text messages she says were sent by Kirk just days before his death. The messages allegedly show that Kirk planned to leave the pro-Israel movement, which Owens said supports her earlier reporting that Kirk had become disillusioned with Israel. A spokesperson for Turning Point USA, Andrew Kolvet, later confirmed the authenticity of the messages.
But Owens didn’t stop there. She took her claims a step further by suggesting—without offering any evidence—that Israel might have been involved in Kirk’s assassination. This theory quickly gained attention, even reaching Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who dismissed the suggestion as “insane.”
The escalating feud between Owens and others in the MAGA sphere highlights the ongoing infighting that’s been brewing since Kirk’s death. The battle over his legacy has now spilled into public view, with Owens and her critics taking shots at each other in the media.
As the MAGA movement continues to grapple with its internal divisions, this latest exchange only adds fuel to the fire, with Owens and Amanchukwu leading the charge in a very personal and very public battle over the future of the movement’s direction.