Conservative activist Charlie Kirk furiously criticized Jewish donors for what he characterized as “bullying” and threatened to leave the pro-Israel movement before his death, according to text messages released by Candace Owens and confirmed as authentic by his organization.
The bombshell revelation emerged after Owens published screenshots showing Kirk complaining in a group chat that Jewish donors were withdrawing funding over his association with Tucker Carlson. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet confirmed the authenticity of the screenshots Tuesday during the latest episode of The Charlie Kirk Show.
In the text messages, Kirk privately expressed frustration that a Jewish donor had withdrawn a $2 million annual investment from Turning Point USA because he refused to disinvite Carlson from the upcoming AmericaFest event.
“Just lost another huge Jewish donor,” Kirk wrote in the messages. “$2 million a year because we won’t cancel Tucker. I’m thinking of inviting Candace.”
Kirk continued his criticism by stating, “Jewish donors play into all the stereotypes. I cannot and will not be bullied like this.” He concluded the message with a stark declaration: “Leaving me no choice but to leave the pro Israel cause.”
The Daily Mail reached out to Turning Point USA for additional comment beyond Kolvet’s on-air confirmation.
Owens claims Kirk sent the screenshots two days before his assassination while speaking to students at Utah Valley University. Kolvet did not confirm that specific timeline during his Tuesday remarks.
Days after Kirk’s murder, Carlson told his audience that a major donor had pulled funding from Turning Point USA two days before Kirk’s death due to the activist’s refusal to disinvite him from this year’s AmericaFest conference scheduled for December.
Owens, who has gained attention in recent weeks for promoting unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about Kirk’s death, is a vocal critic of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Her release of the private messages has intensified scrutiny of Kirk’s final weeks and his evolving views on Israel.
The FBI arrested Tyler Robinson, 22, as the prime suspect in Kirk’s murder shortly after the September attack. Robinson could face the death penalty in Utah if convicted of the murder charges.
Carlson revealed in September that Kirk had frequently expressed negative opinions about Netanyahu in private conversations. “He did not like Bibi Netanyahu and he said that to me many times and he said to people around him many times. He felt that Bibi Netanyahu was a very destructive force,” Carlson stated.
According to Carlson, Kirk’s criticism of Netanyahu centered on the Turning Point leader’s belief that the United States was being manipulated into fighting wars on behalf of Israel. The former Fox News host added that “there was a small, very intense group who tormented Charlie Kirk until the day he died.”
The revelation of Kirk’s criticism of Israel and Jewish donors represents a dramatic shift from his public persona. The 31-year-old conservative activist had been regarded as one of the leading evangelical supporters of Israel within the conservative movement.
Kirk traveled to Israel frequently for religious and political events throughout his career. He met his wife Erika in Israel before their romance developed, underscoring his previously close ties to the country and its political establishment.
Kolvet, identified as one of Kirk’s closest confidantes, explained that he had been aware of the text messages but initially chose not to share them publicly “because it was a private exchange… I wanted to not betray my friend’s trust.”
The Turning Point spokesman revealed that soon after Kirk’s assassination, he shared the text messages with government officials because he wanted to leave “no stone unturned” in the investigation. His decision to confirm their authenticity publicly came only after Owens released the screenshots.
The leaked messages have sparked intense debate within conservative circles about donor influence over political organizations and the pressure applied to prominent figures to maintain specific positions on Israel. Kirk’s frustration with what he perceived as donor coercion highlights tensions that may exist privately even among pro-Israel advocates.
The timing of the donor withdrawal, coming shortly before Kirk’s death, has fueled speculation among some commentators, though law enforcement has identified Robinson as the suspected shooter and has not indicated any connection between the donor dispute and the assassination.
Kirk’s apparent shift in his Israel stance, if genuine, would have represented a significant departure from his established political positions. Throughout his leadership of Turning Point USA, he had consistently championed Israel and defended its policies against criticism from the left.
The controversy surrounding the leaked texts adds another layer of complexity to Kirk’s legacy and raises questions about the extent to which prominent conservative figures may privately hold views that differ from their public advocacy positions.
Turning Point USA faces challenges navigating the aftermath of these revelations while continuing its operations following Kirk’s death. The organization has appointed new leadership but must now address questions about its founder’s final views on Israel and the influence of major donors on organizational decisions.
Source: dailymail
