The public dispute between Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and commentator Candace Owens intensified following remarks Erika made during a televised town hall on Wednesday night.
Erika Kirk appeared in a CBS News town hall moderated by Bari Weiss, CBS’s newly appointed editor-in-chief, following an earlier interview with Fox News host Harris Faulkner. During the discussion, Erika spoke emotionally about the online reaction to her husband’s assassination, calling those who celebrate his death “sick” and warning that social media has contributed to the dehumanization of victims and their families.
“He was a human being. You think he deserved that? Tell that to my three-year-old daughter,” Erika said, visibly emotional.
She also expressed concern that conspiracy theories circulating online—some of which she attributed to Candace Owens—could influence potential jurors and jeopardize the integrity of the upcoming trial of Tyler Robinson, the pro-trans activist accused of killing Charlie Kirk.
One claim Erika referenced involved allegations that Egyptian military aircraft had tracked her and her husband during their travels in the years leading up to the assassination, a theory Owens has discussed publicly. Erika dismissed the claim as absurd.
“I was pregnant for 90 percent of those trips,” she said. “From a human standpoint, I intentionally hid that because it was very sacred. I was growing a human being inside of me. You really think I’m going to be on an Egyptian plane when all I want is an In-N-Out burger and a chocolate milkshake?”
Weiss responded by asking whether Erika believed such conspiracy theories had become widespread enough to affect jury selection. Erika replied that she feared they had.
Owens responded forcefully on social media after the town hall aired, accusing Erika of mischaracterizing her claims.
🚨 Erika Kirk explains that she is very worried that due to these fake conspiracy theories will TAINT the jury pool.
Also, Erika completely DEBUNKS Candace Owens ridiculous, laughable “Egyptian Plane” theory.
We cannot let internet anarchists let Tyler Robinson walk free!! pic.twitter.com/EVU7fD9eB8
— J (@JayTC53) December 14, 2025
“Literally no one accused Erika or Charlie of flying on Egyptian planes,” Owens wrote. “She completely dodged the question by confronting a claim we never made.”
The clash follows earlier comments Erika made on Fox News, where she accused Owens and others of profiting off her husband’s death by promoting conspiratorial narratives about Turning Point USA and its leadership.
“Come after me, call me names—I don’t care,” Erika told Faulkner. “But when you go after my family, my Turning Point USA family, and you’re making hundreds of thousands of dollars doing it, that’s where I draw the line.”
Owens later responded by mocking Erika’s emotional appearance, claiming it was calculated rather than sincere.
“This wasn’t grief. This was a performance,” Owens wrote. “She just unmasked herself and the entire TPUSA machine in one interview.”
The escalating feud has further divided conservative audiences, with supporters on both sides continuing to argue over responsibility, motive, and the impact of online speculation surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death.