Erika Kirk, widow of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, gave a tearful address on Thursday, expressing her gratitude to first responders and reflecting on her husband’s life, legacy, and love for his family after he was fatally shot during a speaking event on a Utah university campus.
In a livestream from Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Arizona, Mrs Kirk stood beside her husband’s empty chair—the one he used during podcast tapings—quoting the Bible and speaking openly about his devotion to President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, the United States, and their two young children.
“My husband’s voice will remain,” she pledged, her voice breaking as she spoke to supporters and viewers.
The broadcast began with several minutes of silence, the camera focused on Charlie Kirk’s empty chair, before Mrs Kirk whispered a silent prayer and began her address. She thanked first responders who had tried to save him, his staff, and the White House.
“Mr President, my husband loved you. And he knew that you loved him too,” she said tearfully, also extending thanks to JD Vance and his wife Usha for accompanying the casket back to Arizona.
“But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that every day,” she added.
Turning her words to the suspected shooter and those she called “evil-doers,” Mrs Kirk delivered a warning: “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry. They should all know this: if you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world.”
She said that her husband’s university tour would continue throughout the autumn and in the years to come, without offering further specifics. She confirmed that his podcast would also continue.
Mrs Kirk spoke of their one-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, saying she struggled to explain their father’s sudden death. “Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry. He’s on a work trip with Jesus,” she told their daughter. She, their children, and other family members were reportedly in the audience when Kirk was shot.
Erika Kirk, 36, a businesswoman and former Miss Arizona USA, met Charlie Kirk in 2018. They were engaged by 2020 and married less than a year later. She is currently studying for a doctorate in Bible studies, has launched a ministry programme, and hosts the Midweek Rise Up podcast focused on Biblical leadership. Mrs Kirk also acts and models and runs a faith-based clothing line. While their family life is often shared on her social media, she does not publish images showing their children’s faces.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was a highly polarising figure in American political discourse. Hailed by supporters as the future of conservatism in the US, he mobilised young voters and was a key organiser in Donald Trump’s MAGA coalition, contributing to the former president’s return to office. Kirk was a strong supporter of gun rights, vehemently opposed abortion, criticised transgender rights, and promoted controversial claims about Covid-19.
His speeches on college campuses drew both fervent supporters and vocal critics. Kirk’s supporters said he understood the concerns of young conservatives, while critics said his rhetoric caused harm, particularly to the LGBT community.
Kirk was shot on Wednesday during an open-air speaking event at Utah Valley University as part of Turning Point USA’s The American Comeback Tour, while taking a question about gun violence and transgender issues. His suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, surrendered to police and was arrested on Thursday evening.
Following the shooting, former President Donald Trump announced that he would award Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom, describing him as a “giant of his generation and a champion of liberty.” Trump said that Mrs Kirk “is absolutely devastated.”
Turning Point USA, which Kirk founded at 18, referred to him as a “martyr” and “pioneer” and added, “Charlie was the ideal husband and the perfect father. Above all else, we ask you to pray for the Kirks after the incomprehensible loss they have suffered.”
JD Vance flew to Salt Lake City on Thursday to retrieve Kirk’s casket and transport it to Phoenix, Arizona, where the Kirk family resides, aboard Vice-President aircraft Air Force Two. Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance accompanied the family and some of Kirk’s friends.
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