The Daily Wire, a prominent conservative media outlet, made headlines late last month by announcing its split with host Candace Owens.
The decision, disclosed by CEO Jeremy Boreing in a post on X, marked the end of the professional relationship between the media company and the well-known commentator. Boreing’s announcement offered no explicit reasons for the separation, leaving many to speculate about the circumstances surrounding Owens’ departure.
The controversy surrounding Owens’ exit also sparked debates about The Daily Wire’s stance on free speech, particularly concerning contentious issues like Israel.
Many social media users have pointed out that the two’s split came on the heels of a public exchange between Owens and Ben Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, regarding their differing perspectives on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
This disagreement, played out on various social media platforms but primarily X, drew attention to the potential ideological differences within the organization. Additionally, reports emerged suggesting that Owens had engaged with controversial content, including ‘liking’ a post on X that propagated an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory alleging that rabbis consume the blood of Christians.
Megyn Kelly, the prominent conservative media host, weighed in on the organization’s free speech stance during a recent show of hers featuring Shapiro, highlighting to him the tendency within conservative circles to criticize their own.
“It’s like either Ben is bad or Candace is bad, but somebody is bad,” Kelly explained. “The right likes to… eat their own because they have absolutely no instinct for self-preservation or keeping their own coalition together.”
Kelly remarked that the rift between Owens and Shapiro exemplified this tendency, with observers quick to assign blame to one side or the other. She pointed out the lack of cohesion within conservative ranks, attributing it to a lack of instinct for self-preservation or maintaining unity.
Many questioned whether the organization’s decision reflected a broader stance on free speech, particularly on divisive topics. Shapiro, in response to these queries, emphasized the diversity of opinions within The Daily Wire’s roster of hosts and commentators.
Kelly would then ask Shapiro directly if The Daily Wire is a pro free speech organization except for Israel.
“We have a wide variety of positions on Israel right now inside The Daily Wire,” Shapiro said. “Matt Walsh… and I wildly disagree about what America’s Israel policy should be. Matt is much more isolationist. He basically believes the United States has no real interest in the Middle East and, thus, the United States should not be providing material support to anyone, including the state of Israel.”
“I would never call for anyone to actually be ousted from any platform,” Shapiro later added. Highlighting that The Daily Wire is a “platform” and not a “publisher.”
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This retort was further emphasized by Boreing during a recent X space, where he responded to allegations for Candace Owen’s departure.
When asked “What did Candance do that she deserved to be fired,” by speaker Andrew Meyer, after a note about the Owen’s “firing” coming just one day after Owens defended herself against accusations of anti-Semitism following the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) “hit piece” accusing her of supporting bigotry against the Jews, Boreing confirmed Media Matters and the ADL did not play a part in the decision to let Owens leave.
“I understand people looking for a conspiracy will find one,” the CEO added. “Ben Shapiro is as critical of the ADL as anyone out there.”
Boreing also pointed out that he himself is also a vocal critic of the ADL, and that he doesn’t know anyone at The Daily Wire who supports the outlet.
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