Turning Point USA in turmoil: Fired staffer alleges bias against Erika Kirk, Candace Owens shares video

Conservative podcaster Candace Owens on Thursday amplified internal turmoil at Turning Point USA (TPUSA) by sharing a 12‑minute video of a former employee who claims she was terminated for questioning the organisation’s new direction under CEO Erika Kirk — widow of late TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk.Owens wrote on X, “One of the fired employees from Turning Point USA speaks out about the organisation’s new direction!” and introduced Aubrey Laitsch, who worked at TPUSA for four years.In the clip, Laitsch says she was let go nearly three weeks ago and that an executive was reportedly told by an Uber driver that someone inside TPUSA, later presumed to be her, had criticised Erika Kirk, the new CEO, and the organisation. She denied the claim and described her relationship with Erika Kirk as neutral, saying they had known each other since 2013.Laitsch did not allege this incident was explicitly used as a reason for her firing, but said she “felt” she was dismissed because she questioned the official narrative surrounding Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University on September 10. “I just have a gut feeling that I was terminated from Turning Point because I am questioning the narrative of what happened to my role model and CEO, Charlie Kirk on the day of his assassination,” she said.The former employee said she believed her scepticism about the widely reported version of events played a role in her dismissal.Owens has repeatedly questioned the official account that 22‑year‑old Tyler Robinson killed Charlie Kirk, suggesting alternative scenarios involving a possible wider plot and internal betrayal, though authorities have charged Robinson with aggravated murder.This comes following the backlash Owens faced earlier after comedian Bassem Youssef appeared on her show in late January, where they discussed leaked audio of Erika Kirk and her behaviour in a staff call, a clip that went viral and fuelled further criticism online.TPUSA has not publicly commented on Laitsch’s claims. As the feud intensifies, the conservative media sphere remains sharply divided over the organisation’s leadership and the narratives circulating about its founder’s death.