The conservative movement has turned its focus inward, and the latest rift is unfolding publicly.
What was once a united ideological front has unravelled into open conflict, with Megyn Kelly and Ben Shapiro, former allies, now publicly at odds in a dispute that has exposed the fault lines running through the MAGA world.
What began as pointed remarks at a prominent conservative gathering has escalated into a bitter feud over Israel, loyalty, and who is entitled to define the movement's boundaries.
The MAGA Stage: From Allies to Open Rivals
The fallout erupted at Turning Point's America Fest, where Ben Shapiro delivered a blistering speech warning that the conservative movement was under threat from what he described as 'charlatans' and conspiracy peddlers.
While Shapiro did not dwell on specific names, the message was unmistakable. Megyn Kelly, who had long regarded him as a friend and ideological ally, was stunned to find herself publicly grouped with figures he accused of undermining and corrupting the movement.
Kelly later admitted she was 'astonished' by the remarks, describing them as a betrayal on a national stage in front of thousands of attendees.
When she took the stage the following night, the response was swift and unapologetic. The crowd erupted as Kelly pushed back, ridiculing the idea that any individual had the authority to excommunicate others from conservatism or dictate who truly belonged.
The exchange marked a definitive break between two of the movement's most recognisable and influential voices, turning a simmering ideological dispute into an unmistakable public split.
The Israel Question That Split The Room
At the heart of the clash is Israel and how unwavering support has become, in Kelly's view, a political loyalty test. Kelly, who has described herself as a Zionist, said she could not understand why criticism or debate around Israel was being treated as grounds for banishment. She accused Shapiro of prioritising Israel over the unity of American conservatives, arguing that this approach was tearing the movement apart.
'Why would you divide the American conservative movement over Israel?' she asked, questioning why a moment of unity so soon after Charlie Kirk's death had disintegrated so quickly.
Kelly framed Shapiro's stance as an ideological purity test, comparing it to progressive cancel culture tactics she has long criticised. Her refusal to condemn figures like Candace Owens, as Shapiro demanded, only widened the rift.
Kelly's Explosive Claim
Kelly's most incendiary moment came when she claimed that Shapiro and others were actively fuelling antisemitism rather than stopping it.
'They are making antisemites,' she said, arguing that attempts to shut down criticism of Israel were backfiring badly.
According to Kelly, it was not figures like Tucker Carlson or Candace Owens driving hostility, but the heavy-handed policing of acceptable opinion.
The claim sent shockwaves through conservative media. Supporters of Shapiro accused Kelly of dangerous rhetoric, while her allies said she was voicing what many younger conservatives already feel. Kelly highlighted shifting attitudes among young Republicans, asserting that efforts to silence debate were accelerating the very resentment they purported to oppose.
The public clash has laid bare a deeper struggle for control of the right. Shapiro warned that the movement was in 'serious danger' from dishonesty and conspiracies, positioning himself as a guardian of principle.
Kelly, by contrast, portrayed him as out of touch and increasingly isolated, arguing that he no longer speaks for the broader base.
The Kelly-Shapiro feud has turned private disagreements into a public reckoning, forcing conservatives to pick sides on Israel, free speech, and power. For a movement that prides itself on strength and unity, the spectacle of its stars tearing each other apart may prove the most damaging blow of all.
