After Charlie Kirk was shot in September while giving a speech at the Utah Valley University, his widow Erika Kirk has now taken center stage in carrying forward his legacy. She is now serving as the CEO of Turning Point USA, which was co-founded by Charlie and advocates conservative politics.
After the passing away of her husband, Erika drew a lot of spotlight for various reasons, and one moment that particularly stood out was her viral hug with JD Vance. While attending an event at the University of Mississippi last month, Vance and Erika shared a hug that was deemed inappropriate by a vast number of people online.
Erika recently spoke about the hug and its reception while appearing on Megyn Kelly’s talk show. She said, “Whoever is hating on a hug, that needs a hug themselves, I will give you a free hug anytime you want a hug.” She then added, “My love language is touch if you will. They just played the emotional music, I am walking over, he is walking over, I am starting to cry, he says ‘he is so proud of you,’ and I say ‘God bless you,’ and I touch the back of his head.”
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She further explained, “Anyone who I have hugged, that I have touched the back of your head when I hug you, I always say ‘God bless you’. That’s just me.” However, regardless of her explanation of the hug in minute details, netizens’ views remained mostly the same. One user mentioned, “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with a woman hugging me like that as a married man. I doubt wifey would like it either.”
Another person focused on Erika herself, asking a question, “Why is she always cleaning her eyes? There are no tears.” About the hug, one user mentioned, “It is disgusting, inappropriate. Not only is she touching his hair and his head with her hand wrapped around his head, she’s pressing her body into his while she’s wearing her skin-tight leather pants.”
Another one added, “Erika Kirk and JD Vance, literally fondling on stage. This is disgusting. This isn’t how you hug a ‘friend’. This is intimate, and weird.” However, as Irish Star reported, body language expert Judi James had another theory, as James claimed the hug between Erika and Vance was a “grief hug,” where the former sought comfort from the latter like a child.
Love is in air (within just 1 mth of husband’s death) 💕
“No one will ever replace Charlie….but I do see some similarities of my husband in JD…Vice President JD Vance”
~Says Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk.
These words seem out of place…much like her leather pants. pic.twitter.com/wUFprhsBBL
— Sumit (@SumitHansd) October 31, 2025
Regardless of Erika or the body language expert’s explanation, netizens remain suspicious of the hug between the two. Moreover, with consistent rumors of Vance’s marriage to Usha Vance hitting the rocks, the hug between him and Erika seemed even more meaningful.
However, Erika Kirk made it clear in Megyn Kelly’s show that she did not have anything else in mind when she hugged Vance and it was completely friendly and nothing else. She also talked on other topics like having children and how women should always prioritize having kids as careers can be built later but families can’t wait.
