#318 Candace Owens - The Most Sued Woman in American Media

Episode of The Shawn Ryan Show · July 2, 2026 · 4 h 47 min

Shawn Ryan interviews Candace Owens about her life story, her theories on Charlie Kirk's assassination, her lawsuits, the Daily Wire, Israel, Trump, and her Catholic faith.

Summary

Shawn Ryan hosted political commentator Candace Owens for a nearly five-hour interview. Owens opened by discussing Donald Trump's AI-generated Time magazine post mocking her appearance, explaining that the photo came from her 2015 bout with toxic mold illness, which she had shared publicly herself. She recounted her upbringing in Stamford, Connecticut, living with her grandparents, a racist threat incident in high school that she said taught her about media and the NAACP, her studies at the University of Rhode Island, and her work at a private equity firm in New York.

Much of the conversation concerned the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Owens described a defamation lawsuit filed against her by security contractor Brian Harpole, argued that the official account was inconsistent, and advanced the theory that Kirk was killed by a PETN shaped charge in his microphone rather than a rifle shot. She asserted that Tyler Robinson did not kill Kirk, suggested his roommate was a federal asset, and made accusations against Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA staff, including a claim that Benjamin Netanyahu had offered to take Turning Point "to the next level" and Kirk refused. She also called for the Butler assassination attempt investigation to be reopened.

Owens described her political conversion after the Gamergate controversy and reading Thomas Sowell, her rise through YouTube, Turning Point USA and PragerU, meeting her husband George Farmer, and her firing from The Daily Wire, where she said Jeremy Boring cut her contract after she refused to condemn Kanye West. She and Ryan both expressed disillusionment with Trump's second term, which Owens attributed to Israeli influence and Miriam Adelson's donations, and she urged service members to leave the military. Later segments covered her views on Zionism, Freemasonry, Peter Thiel, UFOs as distraction, her conversion to Catholicism, and a recent trip to Russia. The episode ended with guest recommendations and a prayer led by Owens.

Chapters

  1. 0:05

    Introduction and Trump's Time cover post

    Owens discussed ignoring criticism, Trump's post mocking her looks, and her 2015 toxic mold illness.

  2. 13:33

    Childhood and family

    Owens described growing up poor, moving in with her grandparents in Connecticut, and her grandfather's influence.

  3. 25:15

    Lawsuits and the Brian Harpole case

    Owens described being sued repeatedly and the defamation suit brought by Kirk security contractor Brian Harpole.

  4. 38:32

    Charlie Kirk assassination theories

    Owens laid out her theories about the repaved scene, a PETN shaped charge, Tyler Robinson, and the Netanyahu call.

  5. 1:24:47

    High school threats and early career

    Owens recounted racist threats in high school, college, private equity work, and interning at Vogue.

  6. 1:35:39

    Israel, Kanye West, and handlers

    Owens described what she called a Zionist mafia, Kanye West's conflict with Harley Pasternak, Sigmund Freud, and PragerU's reaction to her genocide tweet.

  7. 1:56:20

    Political awakening via Gamergate

    Owens explained how Gamergate media coverage and a Trump speech led her to conservatism and Thomas Sowell.

  8. 2:05:23

    Trump's second term, Butler, and the military

    Owens and Ryan discussed disillusionment with Trump, Adelson money, the Butler investigation, midterms, and urging troops to leave service.

  9. 2:37:10

    YouTube, Turning Point USA, and PragerU

    Owens described her blog and viral videos, working with Kirk, and leaving Turning Point for PragerU.

  10. 3:03:14

    Meeting George Farmer and marriage

    Owens told the story of meeting her husband in London and becoming engaged after 18 days.

  11. 3:19:59

    The Daily Wire, Jeremy Boring, and Brett Cooper

    Owens described her contract cut, firing, arbitration lawsuits, and Boring's treatment of Brett Cooper.

  12. 3:52:42

    Israel, secret societies, Catholicism, Russia, and closing

    Discussion of Ben-Gvir's tweet, Peter Thiel's Dialogue, Freemasonry, UFOs, her Catholic conversion, Russia, guest picks, and a closing prayer.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said public criticism no longer affects her because she is secure in her identity.

    “I know who I am, so I don't have to go to the internet to learn about who I am”

    Listen from 3:43

  • Candace Owens

    Owens recounted that toxic mold illness in 2015 left her fearing she would never recover and that the photo Trump used came from that period.

    “I got sick from mold illness. And I never thought I was gonna be the same person”

    Listen from 8:09 · Toxic mold illness

  • Linked moment · 28:27Skip to 28:27 using a listen link in the info box.

    Candace Owens

    Owens said she stands by calling Brian Harpole's security team incompetent despite his lawsuit.

    “So, I'm going to stand by my assessment that he was incompetent”

    Listen from 28:27 · Brian Harpole defamation lawsuit

  • Candace Owens

    Owens argued Harpole's suit was filed sloppily for public-relations purposes in hopes of dismissal.

    “I think they filed it in such a sloppy manner that they're hoping the court drops it”

    Listen from 32:08 · Brian Harpole defamation lawsuit

  • Candace Owens

    Owens advanced the theory that Charlie Kirk was killed by a shaped charge on his person rather than a rifle.

    “I think there is a strong theory that should be explored, that a shape charge was used to kill him and that what killed him was on him”

    Listen from 40:16 · Assassination of Charlie Kirk

  • Candace Owens

    Owens asserted that Tyler Robinson did not murder Charlie Kirk, though he may have been an accessory.

    “I feel confident stating that Tyler Robinson did not kill, murder Charlie Kirk”

    Listen from 1:01:37 · Assassination of Charlie Kirk

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said her instinct is that Robinson's roommate Lance Twiggs was a federal asset.

    “that's what my gut tells me, is Lance Twiggs was a federal asset”

    Listen from 1:02:55 · Assassination of Charlie Kirk

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said Andrew Kolvet told her Netanyahu offered to elevate Turning Point USA and Kirk declined.

    “was that Bebe offered to take Turning Point USA to the next level. And Charlie said no”

    Listen from 1:06:10 · Turning Point USA

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said reading Thomas Sowell after questioning media coverage of Trump transformed her politics.

    “it led me to Thomas Sowell and his work and his books, and it changed my life”

    Listen from 2:02:53

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said conservatism for her centers on preserving traditional families as a guard against government.

    “what are we conserving at the end of the day is the question. And to me, it's traditional families”

    Listen from 2:05:02

  • Candace Owens

    Owens argued that Trump is controlled by donors such as Miriam Adelson and is not running his administration.

    “And so Trump is not his own man, plain and simple. Trump is not running this administration”

    Listen from 2:07:50 · Israel lobby in the United States

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said she no longer identifies as a Republican but remains a conservative.

    “no, I don't consider myself to be a Republican. Yes, I do consider myself to be a conservative”

    Listen from 2:10:28

  • Shawn Ryan

    Ryan said he is so disillusioned with politics that he may never vote again.

    “I don't even know what the fuck this means. I don't even know if I'll ever vote again”

    Listen from 2:10:39

  • Candace Owens

    Owens called for the Butler investigation to be reopened and characterized Corey Comparatore's death as a successful assassination.

    “It should be reopened. And I think it was a successful assassination of Corey Comparatore”

    Listen from 2:15:19 · Butler, Pennsylvania assassination attempt

  • Candace OwensPrediction · due Aug 2028

    Owens predicted Democrats would nominate Gavin Newsom for president.

    “I mean, if we're talking about on the Democratic side, yeah, I think they're going to run Gavin Newsom”

    Listen from 2:27:50

  • Candace Owens

    Owens urged American service members to leave the military, arguing wars serve Israel rather than the U.S.

    “There's a legal means to leave the military, and I encourage on my show every man and woman to do it”

    Listen from 2:32:12 · Conscription in the United States

  • Shawn Ryan

    Ryan said a Green Beret friend and other elite soldiers do not want to deploy because they believe the war is not for America.

    “doesn't want to go to war because he knows it's not for us. And he's not the only one”

    Listen from 2:33:07 · Conscription in the United States

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said The Daily Wire cut about five years from her contract after she refused to publicly condemn Kanye West.

    “And they shaved off like five years of my contract. So I lost millions of guaranteed dollars”

    Listen from 3:27:10 · The Daily Wire

  • Candace Owens

    Owens argued arbitration laws should be changed because they allow employers to pursue former employees through disparagement claims out of public view.

    “But that's what, there are laws that need to be changed about arbitration court, because that's what arbitration gives them the comfort of doing”

    Listen from 3:48:08 · Arbitration

  • Candace Owens

    Owens characterized recent UFO disclosure talk as a government distraction from public awakening.

    “I think whenever they start threatening to do disclosures in a time where people are waking up about the ultimate disclosure, which is who rules over us, it's a distraction”

    Listen from 4:21:06 · Unidentified flying objects and government disclosure

  • Candace Owens

    Owens said her trip to Russia contradicted Western perceptions, describing Russians as loving Americans.

    “I mean, they absolutely love Americans. Absolutely love Americans. They don't even understand why Americans think what they think about Russia”

    Listen from 4:30:31 · Russia

People

In the conversation

  • Shawn RyanFormer U.S. Navy SEAL and CIA contractor, host of the Shawn Ryan Show
  • Candace OwensConservative commentator and podcaster cited as a top-ranked show

Discussed

  • Charlie KirkAmerican conservative activist and podcast host assassinated in September 2025
  • Erika KirkAmerican figure Trump reportedly told to sue over a comedy sketch
  • Donald TrumpPresident of the United States whose conduct of the Iran war is the episode's main subject
  • Tyler RobinsonSuspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination
  • Brian HarpoleSecurity contractor for Charlie Kirk suing Owens for defamation
  • Andrew KolvetTurning Point USA spokesperson
  • Benjamin NetanyahuPrime Minister of Israel
  • Kash PatelDirector of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Miriam AdelsonIsrael-first megadonor said to own an Israeli newspaper that ran a hit piece on Vance
  • Kanye WestMusician cited as an example of someone being de-banked after controversial remarks
  • Harley PasternakCelebrity fitness trainer who worked with Kanye West
  • Sigmund FreudFounder of psychoanalysis, cited for the formula of love and work
  • Jeremy BoringCo-founder and former CEO of The Daily Wire
  • Ben ShapiroConservative commentator who advocated the Iran war
  • Brett CooperCommentator who left The Daily Wire
  • George FarmerBritish businessman, Owens's husband
  • Megyn KellyConservative broadcaster and podcaster
  • Tucker CarlsonConservative broadcaster cited as part of right-wing media
  • Joe KentFormer U.S. official who resigned and disputed stated motives for the Iran conflict
  • Peter ThielInvestor and author of Zero to One
  • Itamar Ben-GvirIsraeli Minister of National Security
  • Thomas SowellAmerican economist and social theorist
  • Corey ComparatoreFirefighter killed at the Butler rally shooting
  • Gavin NewsomGovernor of California, cited for his 2018 primary strategy

Topics

More from The Shawn Ryan Show

From the publisher

Candace Owens is an American political commentator, author, and independent journalist known for her outspoken views on politics, culture, and current events. She rose to prominence through conservative media and has built a large audience by challenging mainstream narratives, investigating high-profile stories, and advocating for free speech and individual liberty. Today, she produces independent content covering politics, media and global affairs. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: If you’re serious about selling to the Department of War, go to https://SBIRAdvisors.com and mention Shawn Ryan for your first month free. Get 30% off your first subscription order at https://armra.com/srs or enter code SRS at checkout. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide. Get firearm security redesigned and save 10% off @StopBoxUSA with code SRS at https://stopboxusa.com/SRS #stopboxpod For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com. Candace Owens Links: Website - https://candaceowens.com Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@RealCandaceO X - https://x.com/RealCandaceO IG - https://www.instagram.com/realcandaceowens TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@candaceoshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Politics·News Commentary·True Crime