Political commentator Candace Owens urged her audience to read a 19th-century antisemitic book and accused Jews of orchestrating the transatlantic slave trade and racial conflict between Caucasian and African Americans during her YouTube show over the weekend.
The episode focused on Owens’ grievances with conservative pundit and Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro, who had criticized her in his Thursday speech at the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) AmericaFest conference.
Owens railed against Shapiro for the circumstances of her 2024 dismissal from the Daily Wire under allegations of antisemitism and tensions with the editor emeritus.
Further, she accused Shapiro of stealing interview guests and leading “legal abuse” and harassment against her over contractual disputes. According to Owens, Jews like Shapiro supposedly believed that they were “contract lords and that people are not allowed to violate contracts or you will ruin them for years.”
Addressing Shapiro, she said, “You have absolutely no values that exist outside of the Talmud. You describe yourself as a Talmudic Jew.”
“And I’ve learned what’s in that Talmud,” Owens continued, holding up an English copy of Der Talmudjude. “I encourage other people at home to learn what is in that Talmud so that you know what Ben thinks of you because he doesn’t just hate me, he hates you, too, white men. He hates all black people.”
“If he’s following the rules of the Talmud... I mean, when I say hate, they think that we’re animals, that they have a right to own us, make us worship them, lie to us, sue us, take everything that we have, and deceive us,” she said.
Candace Owens attacks Ben Shapiro over Erika Kirk's claims
Der Talmudjude, by anti-Jewish German Catholic theologian August Rohling, claimed that the Talmud commanded Jews to steal, lie, cheat, and kill Christians.
Rohling had repeatedly spread the libel that Jews consumed human blood in murder rituals. The theologian’s scholarship was cast into doubt during a failed libel suit against one of his detractors, but Der Talmudjude has remained a mainstay of antisemitic texts.
Owens spread other conspiracy theories as well, saying that the American slave trade was controlled by Jews. She called on black Americans to turn their ire on Jews instead of holding grudges against white Americans. The podcast host further indicated the belief that Jews were manipulating different religious and ethnic groups to fight one another.
“I implore you to wake up to these people who believe that they are contract lords. I challenge black Americans to wake up to your true history because your quarrel is not with white men,” said Owens.
“Wake up to who publishes these books and keeps us warring with one another. Christians vs Christians, right? Christians vs Muslims... Uh, wake up and learn the true history of slavery because that wasn’t exactly a white man’s sport. Jewish people were the ones who were trading with us. Jewish people were in control of the slave trade. They’ve buried a lot of it, but it’s there, and you can find it.”
Later, when responding to comments from supporters, Owns slammed Shapiro as being part of the “synagogue of Satan” because he orchestrated “lies, bullying, getting people to write articles, smearing, and libeling.”
Owens said that Shapiro’s speech, which defended Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, regarding implications that she and other TPUSA officers were involved in Kirk’s assassination, indicated that further inquiry into her was warranted.
Moreover, Owens said that Shapiro was afraid of something about Erika Kirk. While Owens had a tête-à-tête with Kirk on December 15, Owens reiterated claims by a supposed whistleblower that Kirk had been seen at a military base before her husband’s murder, and supposedly, an ex-boyfriend and Daily Wire employee was at the clandestine meeting.
Owens also said that Kirk had concealed past romantic relationships and Jewish extended family.
“I think he knows something about her,” Owens said of Shapiro at the beginning of the show. “That is what I am sensing, that he knows something about Erica Kirk. And every time he speaks, I grow more certain that Israel might be involved with 9/10 [Kirk’s assassination].”
Owens has been at the forefront of conspiracy theories about Kirk’s assassination, which almost came to a head with a debunking live stream by TPUSA on December 15, until Kirk opted for a private meeting with Owens.
Kirk’s widow has publicly called on Owens to “stop lying” about the situation, whereas Owens has insisted on her show that she is telling the truth.
At AmericaFest, Shapiro said that Owens had cast “aspersions” at Kirk and the TPUSA staff “every day” since the murder of the organization’s founder.
The Daily Wire host said that those with influence had a “moral obligation” to call out Owens and others who implied or claimed that TPUSA, the Mossad, and French intelligence were involved in a cover-up of Kirk’s murder.
“Erica Kirk and TPUSA never should have been put in the position to have to defend themselves against such specious and evil attacks, particularly in a time of mourning,” said Shapiro.
“And the people who refuse to condemn Candace’s truly vicious attacks, and some of them are speaking here, are guilty of cowardice,” he further said.
Shapiro went on to attack other right-wing influencers, such as journalists Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, for failing to address Owens’ conspiracies, engaging in conspiracy theories of their own, and flirting with radical right-wing elements.