As MAGA ‘Manosphere’ Splits Over Iran, Epstein, Conservative Women Influencers Step Into Spotlight

Last Updated:April 15, 2026, 20:36 IST

Female influencers like Candace Owens, who questioned the assassination of Charlie Kirk and spread conspiracy theories, are now among the rising voices in the US “manosphere”.

The ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) “manosphere" is seeing infighting over US President Donald Trump’s handling of the Epstein files and the war in Iran, with conservative women influencers stepping in to fill the vacuum.

The group’s importance is likely to increase as the US remains involved in West Asia, which parts of the manosphere believe Trump was led into by Israel, and as the country heads towards midterm elections.

A report by Axios said the infighting within the MAGA “manosphere" has allowed women to reach out to new voters.

The “manosphere" refers to a loose network of online communities, podcasts and influencers centred on masculinity, dating, politics and anti-feminist ideas, often overlapping with right-wing discourse.

The term emerged in the early 2010s from blogs and forums such as Reddit and 4chan, before expanding into mainstream platforms like YouTube and X.

It typically includes spaces like “red pill" forums, men’s rights activism and male self-improvement content, though it has also been criticised for promoting misogyny and conspiracy theories.

Over time, parts of the manosphere have become politically influential, especially within conservative ecosystems such as Trump’s MAGA base.

Prominent figures associated with it include Andrew Tate and commentators like Ben Shapiro and Nick Fuentes.

These commentators have been at odds over US-Israel ties and the handling of the Epstein files, allowing female right-wing influencers and their podcasts to fill the vacuum.

Candace Owens, who led a conspiracy-fuelled investigation into the assassination of Charlie Kirk and attacked his widow Erika Kirk, has seen her podcast rack up millions of views per episode.

Howard Polskin, a conservative media expert and author of TheRighting blog, told Axios that Owens has had the fastest-growing right-wing podcast for the past two quarters.

“She’s thriving in a world where the truth is often irrelevant and outrage trumps logic," Polskin was quoted as saying by Axios.

A podcast hosted by journalist Megyn Kelly also entered the top 20 shows list in the US in 2025 and, as of April 2026, continues to be among the top 25 on Apple Podcasts.

Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News, who according to The Washington Post “portrays herself as a liberal uncomfortable with the excesses of left-wing culture", is also seeing her media startup, The Free Press, grow, according to Polskin.

The Free Press does not label itself conservative, but Polskin measures its growth alongside right-wing news websites, he told the news outlet.

Kelly’s and Owens’ popularity has surged as they oppose Trump over the war with Iran and his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Owens has accused Trump of misleading his base on the Epstein files, while Kelly has criticised the US President’s approach to Iran.

Trump last week attacked both after they called for his removal from the presidency.

“They have one thing in common, low IQs," the president said of the media figures. “They’re stupid people, they know it, their families know it, and everyone else knows it, too!"

After Trump threatened to wipe out Iranian civilisation earlier this month, Kelly asked: “Can’t he just behave like a normal human?"

Trump insisted he did not care about the views of the podcasters, writing that “nobody’s talking about them", while also commenting on Owens’s appearance.

Owens later responded in an 11-word statement: “It may be time to put Grandpa up in a home."

News world As MAGA ‘Manosphere’ Splits Over Iran, Epstein, Conservative Women Influencers Step Into Spotlight

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