The MAGA movement’s internal tensions surfaced at TPUSA’s AmericaFest as Ben Shapiro condemned Tucker Carlson for platforming controversial figures and Carlson mocked calls to "deplatform" dissenters. Carlson defended open debate and denied a genuine split in the Trump coalition. Megyn Kelly criticized Shapiro for acting as a gatekeeper, while Vivek Ramaswamy rejected heritage-based conservatism and Erika Kirk warned that infighting has damaged internal cohesion.
MAGA Rift Erupts at TPUSA’s AmericaFest as Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson Clash
Tucker Carlson speaks at TPUSA's AmericaFest 2025 Thursday, Dec. 18.
A pronounced split within the MAGA-aligned conservative movement played out onstage at Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) AmericaFest, where leading commentators traded blistering critiques over platforming, debate and the movement’s direction.
Megyn Kelly speaks during an American Comeback Tour stop hosted by Turning Point USA in Blacksburg, Va., Sept. 24, 2025.
Shapiro’s Rebuke
Ben Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, opened his AmericaFest appearance with a forceful denunciation of what he described as charlatans and grifters who "traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty." He specifically criticized Tucker Carlson for giving a platform to controversial figures such as Nick Fuentes, arguing that hosts must be accountable for the guests they elevate.
Ben Shapiro takes part in the panel, Future of news: How creators and influencers are reshaping journalism, at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York City Dec. 3, 2025.
"There is a reason that Charlie Kirk despised Nick Fuentes... Nick Fuentes is an evil troll and building him up is an act of moral imbecility," Shapiro said, adding that hosts "ought to take responsibility" for the voices they amplify.
Carlson’s Response
About an hour later, Tucker Carlson appeared and lightly mocked what he framed as attempts to "deplatform and denounce" dissenting voices. He characterized calls for exclusion as misguided and defended the value of debate while denying there is a genuine civil war within the Trump coalition.
Erika Kirk, widow of late right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, speaks at Turning Point's annual AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Ariz., Dec. 18, 2025
"Antisemitism is immoral. In my religion, it is immoral to hate people for how they were born. Period," Carlson said, responding to allegations of antisemitism. He also told the crowd, "The Trump coalition… I don’t think it’s real. I think it’s fake."
Other Voices at AmericaFest
Megyn Kelly, in a later conversation with TPUSA contributor Jack Posobiec, criticized Shapiro for acting as a gatekeeper of conservative discourse and said their friendship cooled after public criticism. Kelly said the dispute centered on whether figures like Carlson should be excluded from the conservative movement.
Vivek Ramaswamy, campaigning in Ohio’s Republican gubernatorial primary, used his address to reject racial or heritage-based definitions of American identity and to distance mainstream conservatism from figures like Fuentes. "There is no American who is more American than somebody else," he said.
Erika Kirk, speaking near the event’s opening, reflected on tensions within TPUSA and said the organization had experienced "infighting" and "fractures" in recent months that she felt should be repaired rather than deepened.
Context And Closing
The dispute at AmericaFest highlights a broader debate on the right about the limits of debate, accountability for platforming extremist voices, and who defines the boundaries of conservatism. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
