# Kirk Was Leaving the Pro-Israel Cause > **The claim:** Shortly before his death, Charlie Kirk wrote in a private group chat that he had "no choice but to leave the pro-Israel cause"; Candace Owens revealed the messages and TPUSA confirmed they were authentic. **Verdict: TRUE** that the message exists and TPUSA confirmed it — **UNSUPPORTED** as evidence of a motive for the assassination. ## What fuels it In October 2025, **Candace Owens** released screenshots of a private group chat. Amplified across X and beyond, they were framed as showing Kirk "made powerful enemies in the pro-Israel sphere" shortly before he was killed. ## The messages, as reported The messages come from a **private WhatsApp group** that included Jewish associates — among them *Newsweek*'s **Josh Hammer**, who confirmed he was on the thread. As quoted in the reporting, Kirk wrote: > *"Just lost another huge Jewish donor. $2 million a year because we won't cancel Tucker."* > *"I'm thinking of inviting Candace."* > *"Jewish donors [are] playing into all the stereotypes."* > *"I cannot and will not be bullied like this"* — and said the donors were *"leaving me no choice but to leave the pro-Israel cause."* Another member of the thread replied *"Ugghhh"*; someone later added *"Please don't invite Candace."* The unnamed **$2 million donor** was identified by the *New York Times* as tech figure **Robert Shillman**, who pulled the gift over **Tucker Carlson**'s participation in a TPUSA event. *(Quotes as reported by JTA, Oct 10, 2025; authenticity confirmed by TPUSA's [[Andrew Kolvet]].)* ![[kirk-messages-reconstruction.svg|470]] *A clean **reconstruction** of the reported messages — the original screenshot (from Candace Owens's broadcast) is copyrighted, so this renders the verbatim quoted text instead. Grey = Kirk; blue = another member of the chat.* ## What the evidence shows - **The messages are real, and TPUSA confirmed it.** Spokesman **[[Andrew Kolvet]]** confirmed their authenticity on Kirk's own show (early Oct 2025) — *"I actually am really excited that the truth is out there"* — the quoted text is above. - **Context matters.** Per TPUSA, the dispute was with a specific donor (reported to be tech figure **Robert Shillman**) angry that TPUSA kept **Tucker Carlson** at its AmericaFest event. Kolvet and colleagues characterized Kirk's actual position as **"complicated and nuanced"** — he wanted the Gaza war to end but **remained broadly pro-Israel** (see [[Netanyahu Read Kirks Letter]], where his own letter affirms deep support). The chat reportedly included commentator **Josh Hammer**. - **The inference is where it breaks.** The "48 hours before" timing is **Owens's characterization**, not independently confirmed, and — crucially — **no evidence connects this private donor dispute to the shooting.** Tyler Robinson is charged as the sole shooter; no law-enforcement body has alleged a pro-Israel or foreign motive. ## Bottom line The text is real and was confirmed — that part is **true**, and worth documenting honestly. But a venting message about a donor fight is **not evidence of who killed him**. The kernel is true; the murder-motive inference is unsupported. See [[The Security Detail Was Israeli]] and [[The Investigation Was Limited]] for the adjacent claims. --- **Related:** [[Netanyahu Read Kirks Letter]] · [[The Security Detail Was Israeli]] · [[Erika Kirk and the Security Team]] · [[The Investigation Was Limited]] · [[Charlie Kirk]] **Sources:** [JTA — leaked text messages](https://www.jta.org/2025/10/10/united-states/jewish-donors-play-into-all-the-stereotypes-charlie-kirk-wrote-in-leaked-text-messages-before-his-murder) · [Newsweek — Kirk, Israel, Candace Owens](https://www.newsweek.com/charlie-kirk-israel-candace-owens-turning-point-10845300) · [Haaretz — leaked messages show donor frustration](https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2025-10-11/ty-article/charlie-kirks-leaked-text-messages-before-murder-show-frustration-over-jewish-donors/) · [[Sources]] **Image credit:** the message thread is an **original reconstruction** of the verbatim quotes as reported by JTA (Oct 10, 2025) — not the original screenshot.