Candace Owens reacts to Tyler Bowyer's post comparing Erika Kirk and Lindsay Clancy, ‘Photographed over his bloody mic’

Candace Owens Responds to TPUSA’s Tyler Bowyer

Candace Owens has sharply pushed back against a post by Turning Point USA chief operating officer Tyler Bowyer, who compared the public treatment of Erika Kirk with the support shown to Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy during her murder trial. Owens argued that criticism of fundraising efforts for Clancy can exist alongside criticism of TPUSA’s handling of Charlie Kirk’s death, adding another tense chapter to her long-running clash with the organization.

The dispute began after Bowyer used X to contrast the backlash faced by Erika Kirk with the financial support surrounding Clancy’s legal case. His post stated, “strangle your three kids while evading your mental illness: ONE MILLION DOLLARS”. He then wrote, “lose your husband & father of your children but carry an organization with millions of followers on your back that recruits & registers young Patriots: A LIFETIME OF HARASSMENT”.

Owens reposted Bowyer’s comments but rejected the comparison. She pointed to the commercial and fundraising activity surrounding Erika after Charlie Kirk’s death and questioned whether TPUSA should be weighing in on Clancy’s case at all. “You guys sold 50,000 t-shirts at the “event of the century” as Erika walked out to sparklers. You raised 40 million in one night at Mar-A-Lago as Erika was photographed over his bloody mic. It’s possible to disagree with fundraisers for Lindsay Clancy and also think TPUSA should sit this one out entirely.”

Her response is significant because Owens has repeatedly criticized Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA since Charlie Kirk was killed. Rather than treating the controversy as a simple argument over Clancy, Owens has continued to use public posts to challenge how TPUSA has responded to the aftermath of Charlie’s death.

Background: Lindsay Clancy’s Trial

The comparison comes as Clancy faces three murder charges in Massachusetts over the deaths of her children Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months. Lindsay has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. If convicted of murder, she faces life in prison without parole. In case she is found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.

Charlie Kirk’s Death and Ongoing Controversy

Charlie Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, during a student question-and-answer event at Utah Valley University in Orem. The shooting happened around 12:20 pm local time, according to a statement from the university. The Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed that Kirk was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Tyler Robinson has been accused in the killing.

Since Charlie’s death, Candace Owens has repeatedly attacked Erika and Turning Point USA while sharing her own theories about Charlie’s death. She recently attacked Erika over her so-called alliance with journalist Brandy Zadrozny, who called Charlie Kirk a conspiracy theorist after his death. Owens also raised questions about where Charlie was buried and challenged the privacy surrounding his burial location, writing: “It's not about privacy after you put Charlie's embalmed body on the internet and your sickly mother in a wheelchair. But let's lower our ask, anyway.”

A massive memorial for Charlie Kirk was attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Viral Post About Owens and Kirk’s Children

A separate social media post by the X account Cinema Shogun, shared after one of Kirk’s daughters celebrated her birthday, claimed Kirk deliberately kept Owens away from his children. The post read in full: “Yesterday was Charlie Kirk’s daughters birthday. So I figured now would be a good time to remind everyone that Charlie Kirk didn’t allow Candace Owens around his kids. Despite pretending to be his best friend Candace Owens has no clue what his kids even look like. Charlie kept Candace at a distance for a reason. He knew she was a problem. Which is why she wasn’t even invited to his wedding.”

The central claims in that post about Kirk keeping Owens away from his children have not been independently verified. However, there is separate reporting that Owens was not invited to Charlie and Erika Kirk’s 2021 wedding.

Perspectives

Candace Owens’ camp

Owens frames her criticism as a principled stand against TPUSA’s conduct after Charlie’s death, arguing that fundraising and public displays do not excuse what she sees as hypocrisy or mishandling of the situation. She insists it is possible to oppose fundraisers for Lindsay Clancy while also questioning TPUSA’s actions.

TPUSA and Erika Kirk’s defenders

Tyler Bowyer’s post, and the broader defense of Erika Kirk, portrays her as a widow carrying on her husband’s organization under relentless harassment, drawing a stark contrast with the sympathy and financial support directed toward Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of killing her children.

Skeptics of the viral claims

The Cinema Shogun post’s assertions about Owens and Kirk’s private relationship remain unverified, and the account itself is a social media source with no established track record. While separate reporting indicates Owens was not invited to the 2021 wedding, other claims in the post lack independent confirmation.