Commentator Candace Owens is facing widespread criticism after a contentious CNN interview in which she argued that Tyler Robinson, the Utah man charged with the killing of conservative activist Charles Curtis (legally known as Charlie Kirk), is being framed. The exchange, which aired during an interview with journalist Elle Reeve, quickly went viral as Owens acknowledged on air that she had misunderstood key evidence while alleging that federal investigators fabricated text messages central to the indictment.
The interview drew more than 1.1 million views within 24 hours on Reeve's X account, with clips circulating widely across social platforms. Owens stated, "I personally don't believe that Tyler Robinson killed Charles Curtis," before claiming that "the Feds made up the text messages."
Reeve responded by noting that the messages cited in the charging documents were text messages taken directly from Robinson's phone. Owens repeatedly asserted they were Discord chats, prompting Reeve to clarify that the indictment did not reference Discord. Owens then acknowledged, "I actually did not read that they were text messages," but later repeated, "That's exactly what it is. The Feds made up the text messages."
The Utah County indictment cites exchanges prosecutors describe as tying Robinson to the fatal shooting. Discord publicly stated that the platform has no record of such communications, saying the alleged messages "does not exist."
Viewers reacted sharply to the on-air reversal. One user wrote, "This is painful to watch. 'I didn't know those were text messages' is her entire case." Another commented, "She's trying to solve a murder with evidence that doesn't exist."
Owens had promoted the interview as an opportunity to present "receipts," claiming access to "leaks" and "sources on both sides." Yet during the segment, she offered no substantiating documentation beyond referencing unnamed contacts and suggesting a government plot to fabricate evidence. When pressed on who should verify her claims, she responded, "Like the mainstream media? We live in a post-Epstein world, and we know how stories get shut down."
Reaction spread across both conservative and liberal media spaces. Journalist Sean Danconia noted, "New York Post says they're text messages, not Discord messages. Discord says they never existed. Maybe she should hire me to fact-check." One conservative commentator added that Owens' "once-fearless persona crumbles the moment she's pressed for facts."
The interview has also sparked discussion about the challenges faced by high-profile commentators accustomed to direct-to-audience platforms. While Owens frequently broadcasts to an ideologically aligned following, the CNN format provided real-time scrutiny without space for correction or redirection.
