Ben Mulroney Slams Sasha Exeter, Says Jessica Mulroney’s Career Was Destroyed by a “False Narrative”

A friendship once regarded as exceptionally close between Jessica Mulroney and Meghan Markle has once again become the center of public attention after Ben Mulroney publicly defended his estranged wife against the controversy that has followed her for years over her dispute with influencer Sasha Exeter.

Speaking on a recent podcast, the Canadian television host said the events of 2020 completely changed his family’s life and argued that Jessica paid far too high a price for what he believes was a situation that had been widely misunderstood.

Ben Mulroney said he still disagrees with the way the public judged the controversy that unfolded during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd. According to him, the incident quickly turned his wife into the target of widespread criticism and caused her career to collapse in an extraordinarily short period of time. He maintained that what the public came to believe did not accurately reflect what had actually happened between Jessica and Sasha.

During the podcast, Ben used particularly strong language when referring to Sasha Exeter. He said, “A race grifter decided to capitalize on the moment after George Floyd by creating an entirely fictional story about my wife. The entire country seemed eager to choose a hero and a villain, and overnight, everything my wife had built was taken away.”

His remarks immediately attracted attention, as it marked one of the rare occasions Ben Mulroney has publicly revisited the controversy that profoundly affected his entire family. According to him, the private text messages exchanged between Jessica and Sasha paint a very different picture from the one widely accepted by the public. He argued that the messages show Jessica was responding to repeated provocation rather than abusing privilege or power, as many accusations on social media suggested.

Ben continued, “Those messages don’t show this woman being victimized by my wife’s white privilege. They show her repeatedly provoking my wife until my wife finally responded, ‘If you’re going to threaten me, I’ll threaten you back.’” He also claimed that many colleagues accepted the narrative circulating online without waiting to hear Jessica’s side of the story.

The controversy began in June 2020 when Sasha Exeter posted a video encouraging influencers to use their platforms to speak out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. According to Sasha, Jessica Mulroney took issue with what she described as a general call to action shared on her Instagram Stories, leading to an increasingly tense exchange between the two women.

Sasha Exeter later publicly recounted the incident. She said, “I spoke passionately because I wanted influencers to use their voices to help fight what was happening to the Black community.” According to Sasha, Jessica reacted negatively to her post, and their conversation quickly escalated.

The Canadian influencer continued, “What happened afterward was a series of deeply troubling actions and behavior that ultimately resulted in her sending me a written threat. I never called Jessica a racist. What I did say was that she fully understood the wealth, power, and privilege that came with her white skin. That gave her the confidence to threaten my livelihood in writing. In my opinion, that is a textbook example of white privilege.”

After the video was released, Jessica Mulroney faced an overwhelming public backlash. She issued multiple public apologies, acknowledged that her behavior had been inappropriate, and said she had learned important lessons from the incident. In one comment directed at Sasha, Jessica wrote, “I am sincerely and unconditionally sorry. As I shared with you privately, I have experienced a very personal and public situation involving my closest friend where race was at the center of the issue. It became an incredibly important learning experience for me.”

Nevertheless, the apology failed to prevent the consequences that followed. Jessica lost contracts with several television programs, was dropped as a contributor to Good Morning America, and her Canadian reality television series about weddings was removed from the broadcast schedule. Numerous commercial partners also ended their collaborations with her, and Jessica largely disappeared from major media projects for several years.

Ben Mulroney also chose to step down from the television hosting role he had held for many years. At the time, he said resigning was his way of standing beside his wife while the family faced immense public pressure. According to Ben, the decision was far from easy, but he believed it was the right thing to do under the circumstances.

One of the aspects that has attracted the greatest public interest is Jessica Mulroney’s friendship with Meghan Markle. Before the controversy, Jessica was widely regarded as one of Meghan’s closest friends. The two first met while Meghan was living in Toronto filming the television series Suits. Jessica frequently accompanied the future Duchess on vacations, fashion events, and many significant moments in her personal life.

When Meghan married Prince Harry in 2018, Jessica played a special role in the royal wedding. Her twin sons served as page boys, while her daughter Ivy was among the children who participated in the ceremony at Windsor Castle. Prior to that, Meghan had repeatedly praised Jessica publicly on social media and often said she relied on her close friend for fashion advice and personal guidance.

However, after the events of 2020, numerous reports suggested that Meghan gradually distanced herself from Jessica. The two women were no longer seen together publicly, stopped interacting on social media, and Jessica was absent from Meghan’s subsequent projects. Although neither has publicly confirmed the reason for the apparent separation, many sources close to them believe the Sasha Exeter controversy became the turning point that brought their years-long friendship to an end.

Ben Mulroney has previously denied that Jessica and Meghan’s friendship completely collapsed, but in reality, the two women have remained absent from each other’s lives. Meghan has never publicly commented on Ben’s latest remarks, nor has she directly addressed the controversy surrounding Jessica in 2020.

Beyond the public controversy, Jessica Mulroney’s personal life has also undergone significant changes. In 2025, Canadian media widely reported that Jessica and Ben Mulroney had separated after 16 years of marriage. The couple married in 2008 and share three children. Although multiple reports indicated they were no longer living together, both have remained private regarding the legal status of their marriage.

During his recent podcast appearance, however, Ben continued referring to Jessica as “my wife,” prompting renewed speculation about the current nature of their relationship.

Born in Canada in 1980, Jessica Mulroney is best known as a stylist, fashion expert, and television personality. Before becoming embroiled in controversy, she built a successful career in the fashion industry, regularly collaborating with major brands and appearing on lifestyle television programs. Her close friendship with Meghan Markle further elevated her public profile across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Ben Mulroney, meanwhile, is the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and was once considered one of Canada’s most recognizable television hosts. He gained widespread recognition through programs including Canadian Idol and several popular morning television shows. Before his career was disrupted by his family’s public ordeal, he was regarded as one of the country’s most influential television personalities.

To this day, the dispute between Jessica Mulroney and Sasha Exeter continues to divide public opinion. Some believe the criticism Jessica received was an inevitable consequence of her conduct during an exceptionally sensitive period marked by heightened awareness of racial issues. Others who support the Mulroney family argue that public opinion reached conclusions too quickly without having access to the full context. Six years after the controversy, Ben Mulroney’s latest comments suggest that the episode remains far from over for his family while once again renewing interest in what was once one of the most well-known friendships between Jessica Mulroney and Meghan Markle.