Here's How Candace Owens And Ben Shapiro's Feud Started

Candace Owens has parted ways with The Daily Wire amid her feud with the conservative news website's co-founder, Ben Shapiro.

The Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing announced via X, formerly Twitter, Friday that the news outlet and Owens have "ended their relationship."

The 34-year-old conservative political commentator also confirmed the news on X, writing: "The rumors are true -- I am finally free."

Shapiro has not yet publicly addressed Owens' exit.

Owens' departure came after her public feud with Shapiro last year over her views on the Israel-Hamas war.

The tension between Shapiro and Owens began to play out on X in November 2023 after she tweeted: "No government anywhere has a right to commit a genocide, ever. There is no justification for a genocide. I can't believe this even needs to be said or is even considered the least bit controversial to state."

Though she did not mention the war in Gaza, the post was widely believed to be about the conflict.

Shapiro -- who is Jewish and has expressed support for Israel amid the war, according to Rolling Stone -- was later captured in a video trashing Owens during a private event for her "disgraceful" behavior and her "faux sophistication" on the issue.

The pair had unfollowed each other on social media at this point.

Owens fired back by quoting a verse from the Bible and adding: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other."

CNN described the dig as "drenched in an age-old antisemitic trope."

Owens' jab was followed by The Daily Wire co-founder challenging her to quit her role at the outlet.

"Candace, if you feel that taking money from The Daily Wire somehow comes between you and God, by all means quit," Shapiro wrote on X on Nov. 15, 2023.

Shortly after, Owens responded to Shapiro's post by accusing him of "acting unprofessional and emotionally unhinged for weeks now."

During an interview with Tucker Carlson that week, Owens claimed Shapiro resorted to "ad hominem attacks" while criticizing her at the private event.

"I can't respond to it on a level of intellect because there's nothing that he has expressed in that, at least in that short clip, that he fundamentally disagrees with in terms of what I said," she said.

Owens added that she had no plans to respond "with the same ad hominem attack" because it does not promote further discussion.

"If it was me that was caught on a video saying that about colleagues that I work with, I would be embarrassed," the TV host told Carlson.

Owens also recently sparked backlash after reportedly liking a post on X that accused a rabbi of being "drunk on Christian blood."

New York-based international Jewish NGO Anti-Defamation League (ADL) compared Owens to Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes after the latter praised her, calling them "bigoted."

The ADL wrote on X that both were pushing "an antisemitic agenda," which it said "adds fuel to the fire of hate."

Owens hit back by claiming the ADL "turned their smear merchant guns on me."

Following her exit from The Daily Wire, Owens encouraged her fans to head to her website, where she offers supporters who pay a monthly fee "access to exclusive content and the ability to engage with the community."