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What are Candace Owens' most notable controversial statements?
Executive summary
Candace Owens has drawn repeated controversy for public statements about nationalism and Adolf Hitler, dismissals of systemic racism and Black activism, and provocative takes on COVID, public figures and identity politics—episodes documented across multiple outlets (Business Insider on Hitler comments; Newsweek on white nationalism defense; SJ-R on COVID and Black Lives Matter) [1] [2] [3]. Coverage in opinion and listicle pieces catalogs other “hot takes” and wild remarks, but available sources do not provide a single authoritative list ranking them [4] [5].
1. “Defending nationalism” and the Hitler remarks — why this keeps resurfacing
The earliest and most widely cited controversy came when Owens discussed nationalism and said people “incorrectly associate it with Hitler,” remarks that resurfaced and prompted backlash in 2019; Business Insider documented how those comments triggered a social-media firestorm and congressional attention because critics said they undercut the seriousness of white nationalism and Nazi crimes [1]. Newsweek’s timeline of her clashes notes her defense of that position at a House Judiciary Committee hearing about hate crimes, reinforcing why the Hitler/nationalism episode remains a defining flashpoint in coverage of Owens [2].
2. Repeated challenges to the idea that racism—especially white supremacy—is a current structural problem
Multiple outlets have flagged Owens’s comments minimizing systemic racism or saying the legacy of slavery is “no longer an issue,” and her broader critique of movements like Black Lives Matter and organizations such as the NAACP [2] [3]. The Springfield Journal-Register compiled tweets and statements showing a pattern: she has publicly criticized Black Lives Matter, condemned mainstream civil-rights groups, and argued that white supremacy is not the major problem many say it is [3]. Critics interpret these lines as dismissive of Black grievances; supporters say she is reframing problems around personal responsibility [3] [6].
3. “COVID is a scam” and other pandemic-related provocation
Reporting collected by the SJ-R included Owens among figures who questioned pandemic responses; the paper listed her as having called COVID-19 a “scam” in social posts and public comments, which fed controversy about public-health messaging and political polarization during the pandemic [3]. That stoked criticism that her statements undermined public-health efforts; allies argued she was skeptical of overreach and protecting liberties [3].
4. “Hot takes” on Black culture, actors and identity politics—how columnists and listicles framed them
Entertainment and opinion outlets have cataloged moments where Owens criticized contemporary Black actors or argued that Black identity should not map onto predictable political views; HotNewHipHop and similar pieces list several such “worst hot takes,” noting remarks on Black actors and culture that many found insulting or divisive [4]. These outlets frame the comments as part of a broader pattern in which Owens challenges conventional expectations of Black public figures to hold progressive politics [4] [6].
5. Personality and performative controversy — critics’ and supporters’ competing readings
An AEI op‑ed characterized Owens as cultivating a martyr/brand posture—casting herself as persecuted when criticized and using controversy to amplify her profile—arguing that some of her defences (for example, when she framed disputes as attacks on Christians) serve a promotional role [7]. That analysis contrasts with more celebratory or neutral compilations (quotes pages, listicles) that treat her remarks as political positioning or provocation intended to shift African American voters [7] [8] [6].
6. Recurrent controversy but uneven documentation of specifics
Newsweek and Business Insider document major, well-cited episodes (Hitler/nationalism, committee testimony), and local/national compilations (SJ‑R, HotNewHipHop, quote sites) list many other contentious tweets and remarks, but the sources together do not present a single, definitive ranked catalogue of “most notable” statements—rather they present a pattern: minimization of systemic racism, provocative takes on nationalism and Hitler, COVID skepticism, and repeated culture-war pronouncements [1] [2] [3] [4].
7. What reporting agrees on — and what it does not say
Reporting consistently highlights the Hitler/nationalism episode as central and documents her anti-BLM and anti-establishment stances [1] [2] [3]. Available sources do not mention every alleged comment circulating online, nor do they produce an exhaustive chronology of every controversial tweet; as a result, assessments differ on whether these remarks reflect a coherent ideology or a provocation-driven media strategy [7] [4].
Context note for readers: the sources used here include mainstream news pieces, opinion writing and entertainment lists, each with different standards and aims; AEI’s op‑ed and tabloids or listicles operate differently from investigative reporting, so weigh motive and genre when evaluating claims [7] [5] [4].