PHOENIX – In the wake of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk’s assassination just over a month ago, a leaked cache of private text messages has plunged Turning Point USA (TPUSA) into unprecedented turmoil. The messages, released by outspoken commentator Candace Owens on October 6, reveal Kirk’s raw frustration with pro-Israel Jewish donors who allegedly threatened to withhold millions in funding unless he severed ties with critics like Tucker Carlson. “They forced me—you’ll understand why when the truth comes out,” Kirk reportedly vented in the group chat, a phrase now echoing across social media as the conservative movement grapples with betrayal, conspiracy theories, and a leadership vacuum.
The texts, sent just 48 hours before Kirk was fatally shot on stage at Utah Valley University on September 10, paint a picture of a man at his breaking point. In one message to a nine-person group chat including close allies like pastor Rob McCoy and commentator Josh Hammer, Kirk lamented: “Just lost another huge Jewish donor. $2 million a year because we won’t cancel Tucker. I’m thinking of inviting Candace.” He continued, “Jewish donors play into all the stereotypes. I cannot and will not be bullied like this. Leaving me no choice but to leave the pro-Israel cause.” The exchange, first aired on Owens’ YouTube show, has amassed millions of views, fueling speculation that Kirk’s evolving views on Israel may have played a role in his death – a theory Owens has amplified with unsubstantiated claims of foul play involving “the Israel lobby.”
TPUSA, the youth-focused conservative nonprofit Kirk founded in 2012, has long been a powerhouse in mobilizing Gen Z voters for causes like school choice and anti-“woke” activism. With chapters on over 3,000 campuses and events drawing crowds of thousands, the organization boasts a $50 million annual budget, much of it from high-profile donors. But the leak has exposed deep fissures. On October 7, TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet – a Kirk confidant and podcast producer – went live on
The Charlie Kirk Show to confirm the messages’ authenticity. “It is authentic,” Kolvet said in the 23-minute segment, explaining he had shared the screenshots with federal investigators probing suspect Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old anti-fascist activist charged with first-degree murder. Kolvet framed Kirk’s words as “nuanced frustration” from donor pressure, not a full-throated rejection of Israel. “Charlie was wonderfully defiant… He believed in free speech and deserved the right to criticize,” he added, urging viewers not to “twist” the context.
Yet, the damage is done. Allies who once rallied around Kirk’s memory have gone silent. Hammer, part of the chat, released additional texts purporting to show Kirk planning a “Zoom call about strengthening Israel advocacy” days before his death, but his response has been muted amid backlash. McCoy, Kirk’s spiritual advisor, has not commented publicly, leaving a void that Owens has eagerly filled. The former TPUSA protégé, who parted ways with the group in 2020 amid her own Israel criticisms, has positioned herself as Kirk’s posthumous defender. “Charlie appeared to me in a dream… He was preparing to reunite with me professionally,” she claimed on her show, blending personal anecdote with conspiracy. Her leaks have drawn ire from TPUSA insiders, with some anonymously telling
The Daily Mail they view it as a “betrayal” exploiting Kirk’s death for clout.
The chaos extends to leadership. Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow and interim TPUSA chair, is reportedly scrambling to stabilize the organization. Sources describe closed-door meetings rife with accusations of “selective leaks” and fears of donor exodus. On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, reactions range from fervent support for Owens – with posts like “Zionists owe @RealCandaceO an apology” garnering over 13,000 likes – to outright condemnation, including claims she “threatened to blackmail” TPUSA over successor disputes. One viral thread speculated the assassination was a “high-level military hit” to reclaim young conservatives’ loyalty to Israel, citing a post-Kirk surge in patriotism. Polling data shows shifting tides: A recent Gallup survey indicates 55% of Republicans under 30 now question unconditional U.S. support for Israel, up from 42% in 2023.
Political analysts see this as symptomatic of broader MAGA fractures. “Kirk was the bridge between establishment donors and the populist base,” says Dr. Rachel Patel, a conservative strategist at the Heritage Foundation. “These texts highlight how Israel has become a litmus test – alienate one side, and you lose funding; the other, and you lose foot soldiers.” Tucker Carlson, whose Israel skepticism sparked the donor revolt, weighed in on his podcast: “A small, very intense group tormented Charlie until the day he died.” Owens’ role amplifies the divide; once hailed as Kirk’s “little sister,” her post-leak defenses have rallied “groypers” – Nick Fuentes’ far-right followers – infiltrating TPUSA chapters.
As investigations into Kirk’s murder continue – with Robinson pleading not guilty and trial set for 2026 – the leaks raise uncomfortable questions about influence peddling in conservative circles. Was Kirk, as Kolvet insists, a free-speech absolutist venting privately? Or, as Owens implies, a martyr silenced for straying from the script? TPUSA’s upcoming AmericaFest, once a unifying event, now looms as a battleground, with whispers of boycotts and alternative programming.
For now, the movement Kirk built teeters. Allies’ silence speaks volumes, Owens’ star rises amid the rubble, and the truth – whatever it may be – remains as elusive as ever. In Kirk’s own words, it’s coming out. But at what cost to the cause he championed?
