What is the history of Candace Owens' employment at the Daily Wire?
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Executive summary
Candace Owens joined The Daily Wire as a high-profile conservative commentator and host around late 2020–early 2021, launching her eponymous show "Candace" on the platform in March 2021 and producing other projects for the outlet while publicly aligning with its roster of commentators [1] [2] [3]. That relationship ended abruptly in March 2024 after months of public friction with Daily Wire leadership — notably Ben Shapiro — and controversy over Owens’ statements about Israel and Jewish people, which the company announced had concluded and Owens herself confirmed on social media [4] [5] [2].
1. How she arrived at The Daily Wire: recruitment and timing
Reporting across multiple outlets places Owens’ move to The Daily Wire in the immediate post‑2020 election period, with some sources saying the company hired her in 2020 and others noting that she announced a move to Nashville and a new show on election day 2020, then formally launching the show in 2021 [1] [3] [2]. Industry observers framed the hire as The Daily Wire recruiting an established conservative influencer — Owens had risen via Turning Point USA and PragerU — to expand the outlet’s roster of on‑platform hosts and original programming [1] [3].
2. What her role and output were at the outlet
At The Daily Wire, Owens served as a commentator and host of a weekly program titled "Candace," which premiered on March 19, 2021, and was taped before live audiences; she also produced platform content such as a true‑crime series and was listed among Daily Wire authors and personalities under the company’s publishing and content initiatives [2] [3] [5]. Coverage notes that her show, podcast and related projects were monetized by the Daily Wire ecosystem, and some outlets later estimated substantial earnings tied to her podcast during her tenure [6] [5].
3. Rising tensions and the catalyst for separation
By late 2023 and into early 2024, public disagreements between Owens and Daily Wire cofounder Ben Shapiro intensified, centered on Owens’ commentary about the Israel–Hamas war and alleged promotion of antisemitic tropes; media outlets reported months of friction culminating in the company announcing the end of their relationship in March 2024 [4] [2]. Sources cite specific incidents — including comments, social posts, and a liked tweet that drew condemnation — as contributing factors in the breakdown, and the Daily Wire’s CEO posted the company’s statement ending the relationship [2] [5].
4. Departure and immediate aftermath
Jeremy Boreing, The Daily Wire’s CEO, publicly announced that Daily Wire and Candace Owens had ended their relationship, and Owens reposted that announcement while declaring on social media that she was “finally free,” redirecting audiences to her independent channels and signaling further projects [5]. News organizations characterized the split as the end of roughly three years of association between Owens and the outlet — an accounting that aligns with sources that place her start at late 2020 and her formal show launch in 2021 [4] [1].
5. How different sources frame the story and what remains uncertain
Mainstream trade and news outlets frame the separation as driven by Owens’ post‑October 2023 rhetoric about Israel and ensuing clashes with Daily Wire leadership, while advocacy groups documented a longer arc of concern over her statements and influence [4] [6]. Sources disagree on the precise hire date (some cite 2020; others emphasize the 2021 program launch), and public reporting does not produce a single internal Daily Wire document laying out disciplinary steps or an official chronology beyond the March 2024 announcement, so the exact internal timeline and contractual details of her employment remain partly opaque in the public record [1] [2] [5].
6. Takeaway: a high‑profile conservative partnership that ended publicly
The factual through‑line in available reporting is clear: Candace Owens was brought into The Daily Wire ecosystem as a host and commentator around late 2020/early 2021, built a visible show and content portfolio on the platform, and departed amid public disputes over her commentary and alleged antisemitism in March 2024 — a split that outlets and advocates framed as both ideological and reputational for the company and the commentator [1] [3] [4] [6].