National Review praised Ben Shapiro after he publicly rebuked influential conspiracy-minded figures on the Right. At the Heritage Foundation he sharply criticized Tucker Carlson; at TPUSA’s AmericaFest he condemned Candace Owens for promoting conspiracies about Charlie Kirk. The editorial argued that refusing platforms to extreme voices is a matter of standards and truth, not "cancellation," and credited Shapiro with setting an important marker for the conservative movement.
National Review Hails Ben Shapiro for Confronting Conspiracy Figures Amid Conservative Rift
National Review published an editorial on Monday praising The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro after he publicly challenged several prominent conspiracy-minded figures on the Right during a pair of high-profile speeches last week.
Shapiro opened at the Heritage Foundation, where he delivered a blistering critique of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, calling him "an opponent of conservatism, an outsider masquerading as an insider, and destroying the character of the conservative movement in the process."
He followed that appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, where he confronted Candace Owens over conspiracy theories she had promoted about an alleged assassination plot targeting TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk. Shapiro also faulted Carlson and Megyn Kelly for providing cover to such claims.
"Erika Kirk and TPUSA never, never should have been put in the position to have to defend themselves against such specious and evil attacks, particularly in a time of mourning," Shapiro told the conference. "The people who refuse to condemn Candace’s truly vicious attacks... are guilty of cowardice. Yes, cowardice."
In its editorial, National Review framed Shapiro’s interventions as an effort to defend standards and truth rather than to "cancel" rivals. The piece argued that denying a high-profile platform to extreme voices is not the same as silencing them entirely; it is a judgment about who should be given influence and legitimacy.
"Our first duty is truth. We owe you the truth. That means we should not mislead you; it means we shouldn’t hide the ball... We have an obligation to clarity and to honesty," Shapiro said, according to the editorial.
The magazine acknowledged the entrenched incentives in the influencer ecosystem and the radical currents within parts of the movement, noting that widespread change is unlikely in the near term. Still, the editors concluded, Shapiro "has put down an important marker," and anyone invested in the conservative movement’s health should take notice.
Note: This account summarizes remarks and an editorial response; quotes are taken from speeches and the National Review editorial as reported.
