Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson clash at Turning Point USA conference over the MAGA movement's direction
The annual Turning Point USA conference has been overshadowed by infighting and controversy. Deep divisions emerged over the future of the MAGA movement and the meaning of 'America First'. Tensions flared after the killing of Charlie Kirk, the organisation’s founder, with accusations and conspiracy theories adding to the turmoil.
The conference took place just weeks after Charlie Kirk’s death, with his widow, Erika Kirk, now leading Turning Point. She publicly asked conservative commentator Candace Owens to stop spreading baseless claims about her husband’s killing. Tyler Robinson, the man charged with the murder, reportedly told his partner he acted because he 'had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred'.
A heated feud broke out between Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson over the direction of the MAGA movement. Shapiro called Carlson and others 'grifters and charlatans', accusing them of spreading falsehoods and conspiracy theories. Carlson fired back, mocking Shapiro’s attempts to 'deplatform and denounce' those who disagree with him. Shapiro also criticised Carlson for interviewing Nick Fuentes, an outspoken antisemite, on his podcast. Meanwhile, Carlson used the conference to question Israel’s military operations and challenge the automatic support for Israel among some conservatives. No speakers at the four-day event were publicly identified as criticising other Republican members. Yet Erika Kirk warned that the party risked fracturing over ideological clashes. The conference, meant to honour Kirk’s legacy, instead highlighted the growing rifts within the movement.
The Turning Point conference ended with unresolved tensions over conspiracy theories, ideological splits, and personal attacks. Erika Kirk’s leadership now faces the challenge of uniting a movement deeply divided over its future. The fallout from the event has left the MAGA coalition more fractured than before.
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