The Inevitable Right-Wing Pundits’ Civil War

As a lifelong conservative who has been involved and watched the movement evolve from Reagan’s optimism to Trump’s unapologetic populism, I’ve always believed that unity is our greatest strength against the radical left’s progressive onslaught. But let’s face it, the so-called “civil war” raging among right-wing pundits wasn’t just predictable, it was inevitable.

The death of Charlie Kirk ripped open wounds that had been festering for years. Kirk, the fiery founder of Turning Point USA, was the glue holding together the youth-oriented, modern grassroots movement that bridged establishment Republicans and the MAGA faithful. Without him, the egos, ideologies, and opportunism exploded into full view, turning allies into enemies. Honestly, as much as it pains me to say it, this bickering might just be the purge our side needs to emerge stronger in the long term. I know that may sound quite controversial in a time when we should be laser-focused on dismantling the deep state.

To understand this situation, we must start with the main players. Ben Shapiro, the sharp-tongued intellectual at the helm of The Daily Wire, has long positioned himself as the voice of reasoned conservatism. But his clashes with former colleague Candace Owens exposed some of the fault lines.

Candace, a bold Black conservative who rose by challenging leftist narratives on race and culture, parted ways with Shapiro in 2024 amid accusations of anti-Semitism over her views on Israel. Shapiro called her out publicly, labeling her comments “disgraceful,” while Owens fired back, accusing him of prioritizing Zionist interests over American ones. It was ugly, and it split audiences. Shapiro’s fans saw it as defending principles, while Owens’ supporters viewed it as gatekeeping by the establishment.

Matt Walsh, another Daily Wire staple, whose documentary “What Is a Woman?” galvanized the “anti-woke” crowd. Walsh has stayed somewhat above the fray, but his hardline stance on gender issues has drawn fire from more libertarian-leaning pundits like Tim Pool, who hosts the Timcast IRL podcast and often criticizes what he calls “puritanical” social conservatism as a distraction from economic populism. Matt has also faced significant criticism on social media regarding his comments on race, particularly from individuals associated with the “Hotep” community and Black conscious conservatives.

Then there’s the wild cards. Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News star now independent, has taken potshots at everyone from Shapiro to Tucker Carlson, accusing them of hypocrisy in her SiriusXM show rants. Carlson, ousted from Fox in 2023 and now thriving on X, has amplified anti-interventionist voices, subtly jabbing at neocons within the right. He has also criticized Israel, by calling it a “strategic burden on the U.S.,” questioning its value in American foreign policy, suggesting the U.S. should prioritize Arab Gulf states, and probing ties between U.S. politicians like Ted Cruz and pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, often sparking accusations of “antisemitism” and repeating what some say are conspiracy tropes about Jewish influence.

But the real accelerants are the fringes, such as Nick Fuentes and his followers known as “Groypers.” The young provocateur behind the America First Political Action Conference has declared war on “mainstream” conservatives, labeling them “Zionist shills. Alex Jones, the InfoWars icon, throws gasoline on every fire, weaving conspiracy theories that implicate fellow pundits in globalist plots. Others like Steven Crowder, whose public divorce from The Daily Wire turned personal, and Jordan Peterson, who’s tangled with Walsh over psychology versus ideology, add layers to the chaos. These aren’t just debates; they’re blood feuds fueled by personal brands and subscriber dollars.

Things recently came to a head as the MAGA civil war erupted into the open at Turning Point USA’s America Fest. What was meant to be a unifying celebration of MAGA’s post-Trump 2024 win devolved into a spectacle of division. Without Kirk’s charismatic moderation, the event became a battleground and a clash of Con Inc.

A few Fuentes’ supporters in the crowd heckled Ben Shapiro during his keynote on free speech, chanting “America First, not Israel First!” Ben Shapiro blasted fellow conservative commentators Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Steve Bannon as “frauds and grifters.”

Tucker Carlson responded by calling Shapiro a “pompous.” Carlson said he “laughed” while watching clips of Shapiro’s speech backstage. Carlson said, “Calls to deplatform at a Charlie Kirk event? That’s hilarious.” He then went on to condemn cancel culture and promised the crowd that he was NOT antisemitic. He stated, “Antisemitism is not just naughty, it’s immoral.”

Steve Bannon accused Ben Shapiro of wanting to take over Turning Point USA and putting Israel’s interests ahead of the United States. Bannon stated, “Ben Shapiro is like a cancer, and that cancer spreads.”

Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, addressed the MAGA movement’s fractures while casting her late husband as a “rare unifier” and pleading with the crowd to embrace disagreement. “You won’t agree with everyone on this stage this weekend,” she said. “And that’s okay. Welcome to America.”

A lot of the recent clashes amongst these influencers are over U.S. policy toward Israel and the death of Charlie Kirk. It is a sign that they are jockeying for power positioning as President Donald Trump’s final term progresses and the next political chapter begins.

Social media is responsible for much of what is happening. Platforms like X, YouTube, and Rumble reward outrage over nuance. Algorithms push divisive content because it drives engagement, creates revenue, and helps donation campaigns. Pundits build empires on hot takes, not coalitions.

A single tweet from Owens can spark a week-long pile-on, with Fuentes’ army amplifying it to attack Shapiro, who responds with a podcast episode that Pool then dissects on his show. It’s a feedback loop of toxicity, where loyalty to Trump and Israel becomes a litmus test, but interpretations of “MAGA” vary wildly. Carlson’s isolationism clashes with Shapiro’s hawkishness; Matt Walsh’s cultural purism irks Pool’s anti-establishment vibe; Alex Jones’ paranoia alienates Kelly’s polished professionalism.

Now here is my unpopular opinion on all of this, which might ruffle feathers. Because of this “civil war, we’ll probably be better off for it in the long term. This civil war is a necessary reckoning, weeding out the posers from the principled. Owens’ departure from The Daily Wire forced her to build independently, sharpening her message. Carlson’s independence has made him bolder against corporate GOP sellouts.

Even Fuentes, as toxic as he is, exposes the complacency of establishment figures like Shapiro, who too often cozy up to big donors and the establishment. Kirk’s death accelerated this, stripping away the facade of unity and revealing who truly fights for America First versus personal gain. In the end, a purified principled right, which is leaner, meaner, and less tolerant of internal betrayal, will crush the left more effectively. Call me an optimist, but infighting isn’t destruction; it’s evolution, and if we are going to be honest, these conversations need to be held in the open.

We’ve seen movements fracture before. The Tea Party’s implosion birthed MAGA. This time, with social media as the arena, the stakes are higher, but so is the potential reward. Yes, it’s ugly to watch, but Erika was right. Let’s embrace the chaos. It’s making us tougher. We don’t need to be a monolithic echo chamber. Charlie Kirk wouldn’t have wanted endless peace; he’d have wanted victory, and that requires surviving the war at home first.

Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author’s own.