Rightwing podcasters run rampant with Charlie Kirk conspiracies: ‘It’s craven opportunism’

After the Turning Point USA CEO's killing, Candace Owens and other far-right stars are trying to persuade listeners of unfounded theories about Israel and federal involvement

Since Charlie Kirk's killing, the rightwing podcast sphere has been in overdrive: eulogizing, grieving, praying, appointing blame and calling for retribution. Kirk's podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, now No 1 on the podcast charts, has had a rotating cast of hosts including Tucker Carlson, Glenn Beck, and JD Vance, who used his appearance to announce a crackdown on far-left" groups, promising to dismantle" them in Kirk's name.

Manosphere" mainstay Joe Rogan was initially quiet on the Kirk shooting, releasing pre-recorded episodes while he was away elk hunting. On Tuesday he began challenging the official narrative of the killing, but has been more focused on the practicalities of the weapon used and the getaway than exploring the motivations of the killer, perhaps because Kirk was too much of an explicit rightwing partisan to chime with Rogan's libertarianism.