A deep rift inside the MAGA movement burst into public view this week as conservative heavyweights clashed on stage at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference.
The infighting unfolded in front of thousands of activists as Ben Shapiro, Tucker Carlson, and Megyn Kelly traded blows over the direction of the conservative movement and who gets to define its boundaries.
Shapiro kicked off the feud during his Thursday speech, where he sharply criticized figures he accused of spreading conspiracy theories and dishonesty within conservative media circles.
Without naming Carlson directly at first, Shapiro condemned commentators he labeled “charlatans” and “grifters,” arguing they were responsible for elevating dangerous ideas and fringe personalities.
Shapiro later made his target unmistakable, attacking Carlson for platforming white nationalist Nick Fuentes and accusing him of moral irresponsibility for giving him airtime.
He argued that conservative hosts are accountable for who they invite on their shows and insisted that Carlson owed the movement an explanation.
Carlson took the stage roughly an hour later and wasted little time responding, mocking the speech and dismissing calls to “deplatform” voices within the conservative coalition.
He joked that he had watched Shapiro’s remarks and found them laughable, framing the criticism as an attempt to silence debate rather than engage it.
Carlson defended his approach by invoking the late Charlie Kirk, saying Kirk believed in open debate and rejected reflexive labeling and censorship.
He also pushed back against accusations of antisemitism, calling such claims immoral and insisting he judged people by character rather than identity.
Carlson rejected the notion that the MAGA movement was splintering, telling the audience the supposed civil war was exaggerated and largely manufactured.
The drama intensified the following day when Megyn Kelly took the stage and accused Shapiro of acting as a gatekeeper for conservatism.
Kelly said she was blindsided by Shapiro’s comments, claiming she had recently supported him publicly and believed their friendship remained intact, as Fox News reported.
She described Shapiro’s on-stage remarks as a betrayal, saying friendship does not include public character attacks.
The dispute highlighted deeper tensions over populism, free speech, and ideological purity within Trump’s political coalition.
Vivek Ramaswamy also weighed in, rejecting identity-based definitions of conservatism and distancing the movement from figures like Fuentes.
Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, acknowledged the fractures during her remarks, warning that internal conflict risks weakening the movement her husband helped build.
AmericaFest ultimately showcased a MAGA movement wrestling with its future, as competing visions of conservatism collided in full public view.
