On a recent episode of her show, Joy Reid responded to Erika Kirk just a day after Kirk mentioned her at a TPUSA event. While some may have seen Kirk’s comments as a friendly gesture, Reid made it clear that she was not interested in clearing the air.
Kirk, who has taken on a leadership role at the nonprofit founded by her late husband, Charlie Kirk, suggested that Reid needed “a really good hug.” This remark came after weeks of discussion about Kirk’s viral embrace with Vice President J.D. Vance at another event, which Reid had already criticized. Kirk even joked about touching the back of Reid’s head, similar to how she seemed to do with Vance.
“The last thing I will say to Erika Kirk is this: Dear young lady, I don’t need a hug from you,” Reid stated in this clip. She explained that she would not allow Kirk close enough to make physical contact, bluntly adding that she did not trust her.
Reid then moved from her personal feelings then explained why Kirk’s comment about touching her head is a serious issue for her. She talked about the boundaries that Black women have long had to assert and why those boundaries matter.
“I don’t know if anybody ever told you, you’re pretty young, but don’t be offering to touch Black women’s hair. We don’t allow it,” Reid said. “This is not the 19-teens. It’s not the 1920s or the 1930s.”
Reid also addressed another controversial remark where she speculated that Vice President Vance might leave his wife, Usha Vance, for a “White queen” like Erika Kirk. She initially brought up this idea while discussing Vance’s political ambitions beyond Donald Trump’s presidency, and critics quickly labeled her as racist.
On the show, Reid pushed back against that interpretation and stated she was describing what she sees as part of the motivations behind parts of the MAGA base, not endorsing it.
“MAGA is the one doing the racism. Not me,” Reid said, continuing “All I’m saying is the ultimate MAGA fairytale would be for JD to leave Usha Vance alone and go run off with Charlie Kirk’s widow. It brings together the houses of MAGA.”
Reid then focused directly on Kirk’s current role in the company her late husband founded, stating that Kirk should concentrate on managing the organization and its supporters instead of trading insults with media figures.
“You need to take care of your business, which is to keep that $80 million coming in and figure out why you are working instead of being at home with your children, who now don’t have a daddy,” Reid said.
Erika previously addressed the viral hug with Vance during an interview with Megyn Kelly. She said that she hugged Vance in the way that raised eyebrows because physical touch is her love language.
“I’m walking over, he’s walking over. I’m starting to cry,” the TPUSA ceo shared with the listeners. “He says, ‘He’s so proud of you.’ And I say, ‘God bless you,’ and I touched the back of his head.”
Erika continued arguing that the hug wasn’t out of the ordinary for her: “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, if you want to take that out of context, go ahead.”
Erika has also hit back at conspiracy theories surrounding her husband’s death. During a CBS interview, she was asked about Candace Owens in particular and asked her to “stop.” The pair eventually met for a private meeting to air out their difference but it appears that Owens will not stop asking questions about what she believes are inconsistencies surrounding Kirk’s tragic assassination.
