Conservative commentator Candace Owens has renewed her criticism of The Daily Wire, accusing the company and its co-founder Ben Shapiro of using content from her former podcast to target her publicly.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on January 8, 2026, Owens said that while Shapiro legally retains ownership of her old podcast, clips from it are now being repurposed in a way she believes is hostile.
Candace Owens earlier framed the situation as part of a longer pattern following her March 2024 firing. In her January 6, 2026 episode of her podcast, she referred to her former employers as “crazy ex-stalkers”, saying,
“I truly am not trying to be dramatic here, it felt like a crazy ex-stalker. like if I can’t have you nobody can have you”
More on what Candace Owens said about Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire
On January 8, 2025, Candace Owens took to X to address the circulation of content from her former Daily Wire podcast. She wrote that the show is legally owned by Ben Shapiro and said that clips are being used to compile footage of her “defending myself against their repeated attacks against me over the last two years.” Owens claimed that the use of the material amounts to an effort by The Daily Wire to “attack” her, saying,
“This is real life. The Daily Wire is using my old podcast to attack me.”
Candace Owens already talked about her concerns during the January 6, 2026 episode of her show, titled You Won’t Believe What Happened While We Were Off Air… she said viewers alerted her that her old Daily Wire affiliated YouTube channel had reappeared after previously being privatized, alongside the re-release of a trailer filmed in 2021. According to Owens, similar activity occurred on Instagram, where an old promotional video from her time joining the outlet was reposted. She emphasized that she did not believe the reactivation was accidental.
In the episode, Candace Owens said that in her view, a firing should mark a clean break. Instead, she alleged that her former employer continued to follow her career, interfere with speaking opportunities, and exert pressure behind the scenes. She described this pattern as “actually toxic” and compared the dynamic to a personal breakup involving a “crazy ex,” later refining it to a “crazy ex-stalker” analogy.
She also claimed the resurfaced content was linked to the launch of a new show she believes is designed to mock her, though she did not provide independent confirmation of that intent.
At the time of press, The Daily Wire has not publicly responded to the January 8 post.
Candace Owens joined The Daily Wire in 2021 and was officially fired in March 2024 following months of escalating tensions. According to CNN reporting dated March 22, 2024, the split followed backlash over Owens’ comments on Israel after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. She described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide,” remarks that drew widespread criticism.
Ben Shapiro publicly called her comments “absolutely disgraceful,” while Owens responded with statements that further fueled controversy. At the time of her firing, Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing confirmed that the relationship had ended. In November 2024, Candace Owens spoke on a YouTube livestream saying that being fired brought her unprecedented publicity.
By November 10, 2025, reports noted that her podcast had become the number one show globally, and Owens publicly thanked Shapiro and other Daily Wire executives for firing her. However, later reporting also pointed to lingering legal and personal disputes, including claims of a possible gag order, which Boreing denied. Candace Owens said she could not comment on those allegations, citing private negotiations.
Edited by Devangee
