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Fact check: What are Candace Owens' future plans after leaving the Daily Wire?
Executive Summary
Candace Owens left The Daily Wire amid a public clash with co-founder Ben Shapiro over statements about the Israel–Hamas war; available reporting shows no single definitive future plan, but multiple projects and affiliations have been reported or claimed since her departure, including a podcast relaunch, a controversial Harvey Weinstein exculpation series, and possible involvement with a MAGA-oriented digital outlet [1] [2] [3] [4]. The evidence is fragmented and sometimes contradictory across outlets; readers should view each reported project as a claim with varying levels of corroboration and clear ideological agendas behind their coverage [5] [3].
1. Who says what about Owens’ next move — and why it matters for readers
Reporting immediately around Owens’ exit emphasizes the cause of her departure—public clashes with Ben Shapiro over her Israel-related remarks—and focuses less on a tidy list of confirmed next steps. The Daily Wire replacement reporting notes Sage Steele took Owens’ role on an animated series, underscoring that Owens’ departure was operationally immediate but does not identify a mutually agreed next employer or exclusive deal [6] [1]. This gap matters because outlets fill it differently: some present Owens as relaunching mainstream-facing media projects, while others highlight more fringe or provocative ventures, reflecting media agendas in casting her future path.
2. The strongest confirmed item: a podcast relaunch and YouTube push
Among the claims, the most concretely reported item is Owens’ announcement to relaunch her podcast with a June 10 premiere and a new YouTube channel, framed as a return to direct audience engagement on themes like political correctness and media bias [2]. This claim is documented with a date in mid-2024 and reads as a conventional media strategy for a personality exiting a platform: rebuild an independent audience through owned channels. Coverage of this relaunch is the least provocative and has the clearest timeline, making it the most verifiable single action attributed to Owens post-Daily Wire.
3. The most controversial claim: a Weinstein exculpation project
Multiple sources report Owens working on a project aiming to portray Harvey Weinstein as wrongly treated by the justice system, including claims of recorded interviews and a titled series suggesting a public attempt at exoneration [3]. These reports are dated March 2025 and present a markedly different trajectory—shifting from political commentary to advocacy in a high-profile criminal case. The coverage signals substantial reputational risk and a deliberate shock-value media strategy; outlets frame it variously as journalistic investigation or controversial rehabilitation effort, reflecting different editorial angles [3].
4. Broader pattern: pivoting to provocateur content and fringe claims
Other reporting documents a pattern of increasingly provocative public statements by Owens after leaving The Daily Wire—historical revisionism and contentious personal claims about public figures—which suggests a strategic pivot toward attention-grabbing content rather than institutionally vetted journalism [5]. Those sources compile changes in her rhetoric and topics, portraying a move away from mainstream conservative media norms toward more incendiary assertions. The pattern helps explain why some outlets report projects like the Weinstein series as credible next steps: provocation sells and aligns with the reported shift in her public posture.
5. Possible alignment with MAGA-oriented platforms: LAT Next reporting
A February 2025 report links Owens to discussions about a new MAGA-leaning digital news service, LAT Next, which would position her within a broader effort to build conservative alternatives to legacy outlets [4]. That claim, if accurate, would align Owens with institution-building rather than freelance controversy, suggesting a strategic attempt to anchor influence within a nascent conservative media network. The source frames this as speculative planning and should be read as one plausible trajectory among others rather than a confirmed employment contract.
6. How different outlets frame the same actions — and what they omit
Coverage varies by outlet focus: entertainment and industry outlets note casting changes and departures without depth on future plans [6] [7], while political and investigative pieces emphasize provocative projects and rhetoric [3] [5]. Most reporting omits financial details, deal terms, or confirmed timelines beyond a few announced dates, leaving open whether Owens’ projects are fully financed, platform-backed, or self-funded. Readers should treat announcements as claims pending corroboration, especially when coverage aligns strongly with the outlet’s audience or ideological bent.
7. Bottom line: a constellation of claims, not a single confirmed roadmap
Synthesis of available reporting shows Owens pursuing multiple, sometimes competing pathways—podcast relaunch and independent channels (most verifiable), a controversial Weinstein exculpation series (documented but high-risk), and potential involvement with a MAGA-oriented outlet (speculative)—while mainstream media note her departure and replacements without staking a claim on her next exclusive home [2] [3] [4] [6]. Each reported possibility carries different implications for audience reach and editorial intent; treat them as individual claims with varying credibility and clear partisan contexts until further corroboration is published.