What are some of the conspiracy theories promoted by Candace Owens?
Executive summary
Candace Owens has repeatedly promoted or amplified a range of conspiratorial claims — from pseudoscientific fringe ideas to politically charged accusations about individuals, governments and communities — that have drawn legal action, media pushback and criticism from colleagues and watchdogs [1] [2] [3]. Reporting shows a pattern of repackaging accusations about elites, Israel, Jewish influence, LGBTQ people and high-profile crimes into viral content that engages “mommy sleuths” and true-crime audiences while provoking denials, lawsuits and rebuttals [4] [5] [6].
1. The science-and-pseudoscience portfolio: flat Earth, Moon landing and “science as pagan faith”
Owens has expressed interest in pseudoscientific ideas, including flirtation with flat-Earth rhetoric and skepticism about mainstream science, famously calling science a “pagan faith” and saying she’s “not a flat-earther” nor “a round-earther,” while also hosting skeptics of the Moon landing on her platforms [1]. Reporting documents that Owens has downplayed or treated as debatable established scientific or historical facts and has given airtime to figures who question the Moon landing, a move that aligns her with audiences attracted to contrarian, reality-questioning narratives [1].
2. The Charlie Kirk assassination theories: Israel, federal plots and internal sabotage
Following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Owens pushed alternative explanations suggesting federal involvement, Israeli culpability and even an internal Turning Point conspiracy; she has speculated that text messages and other evidence were “federally written” or suspicious and hosted long-form discussions about tunnels, shooting angles and foreign actors [7] [5] [2]. Those theories were widely criticized as unfounded and antisemitic by outlets and individuals, prompted denials from Israeli officials, and led to sharp rebukes from some conservative allies while Kirk’s widow condemned such speculation [5] [7] [2].
3. Antisemitic tropes and “Jewish influence” narratives
Multiple reports and organizational backgrounders document Owens’s use of or flirtation with tropes about Jewish power and influence — including claims about George Soros-style control and insinuations about Israel’s role in political events — which critics label antisemitic and which have intensified scrutiny of her commentary [3] [8]. Journalists and analysts have traced how those claims fit broader conspiracist frameworks that target Jewish people as hidden manipulators, a pattern that has drawn institutional condemnation and media analysis [8] [3].
4. Conspiracy theories about women and LGBTQ people, including the Macron defamation case
Owens has promoted conspiracies about the sexual identity of powerful women, most notably making claims about France’s first lady that led to a defamation lawsuit filed by President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron, and has repeatedly trafficked in anti-LGBTQ narratives such as implying a shooter was trans in the wake of Uvalde — positions documented by press reports and civil-society monitors [2] [6] [3]. The ADL and other organizations have cataloged her sustained rhetorical attacks on LGBTQ communities as part of a broader pattern of conspiratorial attribution [3].
5. Methods, motives and the business of conspiracism
Observers note that Owens packages conspiracies into polished podcasts and “participatory” true-crime formats, mobilizing amateur investigators and leveraging controversy for audience growth; critics such as Piers Morgan and commentators in The New York Times have questioned whether profit and influence, not genuine investigative doubt, drive much of this activity [7] [4]. Supporters argue she is raising legitimate questions; detractors say she amplifies disinformation that fuels harassment, legal action and political fragmentation — a dynamic visible across her Macron litigation and the backlash over the Kirk coverage [6] [4].
6. Pushback, consequences and unresolved questions
The public record shows tangible pushback: lawsuits, platform suspensions at times, widespread media debunking and denunciations from civil-society groups [6] [3] [1]. Reporting also indicates that some conservatives who once allied with Owens have publicly criticized her conspiratorial turns, illustrating intra-movement tensions, while other outlets and audiences continue to amplify her content — a split that leaves open how her influence will evolve as legal and reputational consequences play out [9] [4].