Ben Shapiro is a prominent conservative political commentator who has garnered significant popularity among right-wing audiences. Known for his catchphrase, “facts don’t care about your feelings,” Shapiro has built a career through his podcast, speaking engagements at college campuses, and a strong presence in conservative media. A supporter of Donald Trump in the past, Shapiro has recently begun to criticize the former president, particularly over Trump’s tariff plans and their potential economic impact. But who exactly is Ben Shapiro, and how will his pushback against Trump affect his career?
Benjamin Aaron Shapiro was born on Jan. 15, 1984, to parents who both worked in Hollywood, his mother as an executive and his father as a composer. Shapiro demonstrated early intellectual promise, playing the violin and performing at the Israel Bonds Banquet at just 12 years old. He also skipped several grades in school, eventually graduating early from high school. As a teenager, Shapiro began writing columns and published his first few books. He went on to study political science at the University of California before attending Harvard Law School.
After graduating from Harvard, Shapiro continued to write and started his own legal consulting company. In 2011, he joined the David Horowitz Freedom Center as a fellow. The following year, Shapiro became the editor-at-large at Breitbart News, a far-right website known for its controversial opinions and commentary. Breitbart has often been described as misogynistic, xenophobic, and racist, with debates ongoing about whether its founder Andrew Breitbart or former executive Steve Bannon are responsible for the site’s controversial direction. Andrew Breitbart once envisioned the site as “the Huffington Post of the right,” and under his leadership, it became embroiled in numerous scandals.
While at Breitbart, Shapiro published an article accusing Chuck Hagel, the former U.S. senator and future Secretary of Defense, of accepting foreign contributions from a group called “Friends of Hamas.” There was no evidence to support this claim, but Shapiro defended the story until recently, when he admitted regretting his involvement.
Shapiro’s time at Breitbart was short, largely due to personal disagreements with Steve Bannon and frustration with the company’s failure to support a reporter allegedly assaulted by Trump’s campaign manager. In his resignation statement, Shapiro wrote, “Steve Bannon is a bully, and has sold out Andrew Breitbart’s mission in order to back another bully, Donald Trump; he has shaped the company into Trump’s personal Pravda.” After his departure, Breitbart published a piece falsely attributing the article to Shapiro’s father under a pseudonym, accusing Shapiro of betraying loyal readers in pursuit of a Fox News position, a piece that was later deleted.
Shapiro soon joined The Daily Wire, where he continued to write and host “The Ben Shapiro Show”, a podcast that gained widespread popularity. The show became the second most popular podcast in the U.S., according to Podtrac, and Shapiro’s platform expanded further through radio broadcasts and a special on Fox News in 2018. He also became involved with PragerU, a conservative online platform promoting traditional values. Despite his growing media presence, Shapiro has expressed some frustration with stepping back from writing, particularly as he becomes more involved in The Daily Wire’s streaming service.
The Daily Wire has become a hub for conservative personalities, including Matt Walsh, Jordan Peterson, Candace Owens, and Brett Cooper. The platform has also produced controversial documentaries like “What Is a Woman?” where Matt Walsh argues that people are brainwashed into believing “gender ideology,” and “Am I a Racist?” which tries to undercut the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Both documentaries have been widely criticized for factual inaccuracies but have generated significant revenue, with “Am I a Racist?” receiving a theatrical release.
In addition to documentaries, The Daily Wire has ventured into film production with movies like “Run Hide Fight,” a drama about a school shooting which has been called “Die Hard” but in a school, and “Terror on the Prairie,” starring Gina Carano after her firing from Disney. While these films have been successful, they have not yet achieved the same mainstream success as blockbuster films. Nevertheless, Shapiro has expressed pride in the platform’s growth, particularly in the development of The Daily Wire+, which now offers conservative talk shows and content to a broader audience.
Shapiro has long been a Trump supporter, even interviewing the former president on several occasions. However, he has voiced criticism of Trump’s response to the January 6 attack and has pushed for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to run for president in 2024. Shapiro’s recent criticism of Trump’s tariff plans marks a shift in his public stance. Still, it seems unlikely that this will cause significant harm to Shapiro’s career. His platform has already established itself as influential in conservative circles, and while his break from Trump on this issue is notable, it is unlikely to diminish his influence among his audience.