Candace Owens, a conservative commentator known for her provocative rhetoric, is facing a widening global backlash. New Zealand became the latest country to ban her entry, following Australia’s similar decision in October. Both moves highlight growing international intolerance for her incendiary remarks, particularly her history of antisemitic statements. Owens, 35, had planned speaking engagements in both nations to discuss free speech and Christian values but found her visa applications rejected amid public outcry.

Australia’s rejection came after Owens denied Nazi medical experiments on Jewish prisoners during World War II, a stance that led Immigration Minister Tony Burke to call her a figure capable of “inciting discord in almost every direction.” Jewish advocacy groups in Australia celebrated the decision, citing her remarks as harmful and deeply offensive. While New Zealand officials did not specify the reason for their ban, her controversial history loomed large in public discourse.

Her remarks have long raised alarms. During a 2019 speech in London, Owens suggested Adolf Hitler’s actions were defensible—at least within Germany—while criticizing his expansionist ambitions. She described nationalism in terms strikingly similar to Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, asserting, “If Hitler just wanted to make Germany great and have things run well, okay, fine.” The comments drew sharp rebukes and were later replayed during a U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearing on white nationalism.

New Zealand’s decision to bar Owens also recalls the deadly 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, where the gunman cited her as an influence in a manifesto. Though Owens distanced herself from the tragedy, the association continues to shadow her reputation globally. For a nation still grappling with the aftermath of that attack, her presence would likely have reopened painful wounds.

Owens has promised to fight what she calls censorship and the erosion of free speech, framing her rejection from Australia and New Zealand as part of a larger ideological battle. Yet, for many critics, her rhetoric represents not the defense of liberty but a dangerous normalization of hateful ideologies—a line that more countries seem unwilling to let her cross.