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Inside Ben Shapiro’s MAGA meltdown
The Washington Post ^ | May 9, 2026 at 5:00 a.m. EDT | Drew Harwell

Posted on 05/09/2026 2:30:01 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

The Daily Wire was once ascendant in right-wing media. Now, the “anti-woke” company faces contentious layoffs, ideological battles and dwindling relevance online.

The conservative media company Daily Wire was once a star of the MAGA digital universe, dominating social media feeds and podcast apps with a blend of “anti-woke” commentary, viral Facebook posts and culture-war stunts.

In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, the company co-founded by conservative pundit Ben Shapiro ranked as Facebook’s top English-language publisher for three straight months. Its sarcastic news items on then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s salon visits gained millions more views than the websites of Fox News, CNN and the New York Times.

But the company now faces sweeping layoffs and heavy skepticism over its online future, with some critics — including former employees, such as Candace Owens — arguing its relevance to the right has irrevocably collapsed.

Its YouTube channel’s subscriber base has plateaued or shrunk in 15 of the 16 months since the start of 2025, according to data from the analytics firm Social Blade. And in an analysis of 20 conservative news sites, the Daily Wire has consistently ranked among the biggest year-over-year traffic losers since last summer, according to estimates from the market intelligence firm Similarweb that were compiled by the media newsletter TheRighting. In March, the website’s traffic was half of what it was the year before.

The Daily Wire’s fall from grace reflects the fragmentation of partisan media online, as centralized institutions such as Breitbart and Fox lose attention to a scattered network of podcasters, streamers and provocateurs.

Though it advertises itself as “America’s leading voice of the counter-culture movement,” the Daily Wire now draws criticism that it mirrors the mainstream media giants it once pledged to...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: alwaysfromtheleft; chat; chatforum; districtofcolumbia; drewharwell; fakenews; jeffbezos; leftistsource; randspam; shapiro; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“Another controlled-opposition puppet bites the dust.”

Well said, maybe this Shapiro freak-show can go share a bunk with that ridiculous Fed PSYOP Nick Fuentes. Can barely tell them apart.

The FBI should ask for their money back.


41 posted on 05/09/2026 10:47:54 PM PDT by captmar-vell
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To: Mr Rogers
“One American soldier is worth far more than an Afghan civilian”

I believe one American soldier is worth far more than any foreigner, Israeli included. Do you?

So what is your problem with him?

His constant hectoring for the U.S. to be in foreign wars that do not serve American interests, but happen to serve Israeli interests.

America's government and its citizens are much deeper in debt than the Israeli government and its citizens. Do you think given those facts they should be borrowing money to repay us? Or do you think we should go deeper into debt to continue giving a foreign country our money?

42 posted on 05/09/2026 11:35:22 PM PDT by Gunslingr3
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To: Mr Rogers
Our massive debt is NOT DRIVEN by Israel.

'driven by'? What are these weasel words about?

We can't afford it.

We borrow to give it.

We pay the interest on that borrowing FOREVER!

They have less debt than we do, no matter how you measure it.

Why should we borrow to give them money when we have worse debt?

Who do you care about? Americans, or foreigners?

43 posted on 05/09/2026 11:41:28 PM PDT by Gunslingr3
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To: Gunslingr3

exactly, and while the boomers are still on board and watch the nightly news, the under 50’s have tuned out of this crap. Ben’s also not watchable, now being good at your craft matters as well as the stances you take.


44 posted on 05/09/2026 11:47:08 PM PDT by Katya (run of the mill sceptic)
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To: Gunslingr3

“What are these weasel words about?”

the truth. Something that seems foreign to you. BTW - almost all of the money we give to Israel must be spent in the USA buying American goods.

“Who do you care about? Americans, or foreigners?”

I DO CARE ABOUT ALLIES. America First has NEVER meant America ONLY. And the most reliable ally we have in the world is Israel.


45 posted on 05/10/2026 6:50:04 AM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: Gunslingr3

“I believe one American soldier is worth far more than any foreigner, Israeli included. Do you?”

Not entirely. You see, we do have “allies”. People from other countries ready to die to support the USA. I care just as much about a foreign soldier ready to die for us as I do about our own soldiers. But then, about the only country left with people willing to die to help us as allies is Israel.

When the Brits flew missions with us over Iraq, I cared as much about them as I did about myself. After all, we were flying the same missions!


46 posted on 05/10/2026 6:52:56 AM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Another controlled-opposition puppet bites the dust.

Really?

47 posted on 05/10/2026 5:11:10 PM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: Lizavetta

Really. He takes dictation from Netantyahu.


48 posted on 05/10/2026 5:13:23 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (If it ain't fun, you ain't doin' it right.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I misunderstood. I thought you meant Shapiro is actually a leftist pretending to be conservative.


49 posted on 05/10/2026 5:20:23 PM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

not only did I not comprehend your intent, I mistook you for another freeper. double Doh


50 posted on 05/11/2026 8:53:30 PM PDT by pissant ((Deport them all))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Started as a NeverTrumper. Nails on a blackboard voice. Never read the Daily Wire. Don't care what happens to his website or podcasts.
51 posted on 05/11/2026 9:33:59 PM PDT by CaptainK ("No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up” )
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To: CaptainK

Steven Crowder almost signed a contract with Shapiro/Daily Wire, but backed out when he actually read it.


52 posted on 05/11/2026 9:37:18 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (If it ain't fun, you ain't doin' it right.)
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To: Gunslingr3

Shapiro voted for Clinton and Biden and Harris?


53 posted on 05/12/2026 11:30:14 PM PDT by lasereye ( )
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