Grief used to be private. And this Christmas, Erika Kirk learned better than to make it algorithmic content. It’s been three months since her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was assassinated. And Erika’s holiday posts brought back a question that has followed her since September: Is she a grieving widow or a public figure who is just monetizing tragedy?
On Christmas Day, Erika Kirk reposted a seasonal tweet that her late husband, Charlie, had shared in 2024. In it, he wrote a faith-forward note about God, love, and redemption, with a family photo. Her addition read: “What I would give for one more Christmas…” as it was her first holiday without him.
But nothing exists in a vacuum on social media.
A few hours before this throwback, Erika Kirk shared a Christmas Eve video where she asked her viewers to slow down and spend time with family, as that’s what Charlie would have wanted. In the final seconds, she encouraged viewers to order Charlie’s last book in time for Christmas. As her tone shifted, it drew instant criticism.
HOLIDAY MESSAGE: @MrsErikaKirk shares her — and what would have been Charlie’s — holiday season message:
“Just rest…Love on your babies. Love on your family members. Life is short.”
Find Charlie Kirk’s final work, ‘Stop, in the Name of God,’ at https://t.co/maaHNCxZqZ. pic.twitter.com/5DULTqPg11
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 23, 2025
On X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, many called the video a “grift” and mocked what they saw as a sales pitch. Some commentators scoffed that no conservative holiday message is complete without an “order now” moment. Others questioned why a widow with two little children was touring and doing promos instead of stepping away from the spotlight.
This backlash wasn’t new, though. Since Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September 2025 while speaking at a university in Utah, Erika Kirk has been more visible than ever. She’s been speaking at Turning Point USA events, appearing on Fox News many times, promoting Charlie’s posthumous book (Stop, in the Name of God) and insists her public presence continues his work.
Reddit has been especially unforgiving, as usual, as commenters questioned how quickly she returned to public life and her priorities as a mother. Others bristled at moments they found tonally off, including jokes made at political events.
But Erika Kirk hasn’t backed down. On Fox News’ Outnumbered, she pushed back against accusations of profiteering. She told that she and Charlie were accustomed to attacks long before his death and that her work now is an obligation.
Erika Kirk just shared this video of her and Charlie for her birthday today 🙏🏼
“I always loved celebrating you, and maybe because it was a reflection of how beautifully you always celebrated me. I romanticized growing old with you, the love of my life. I used to wonder what our… pic.twitter.com/ZuAExJqZnD
— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) November 21, 2025
What makes the reaction so volatile is that Erika’s grief is undeniably public.
While some supporters argue there’s no “right” way to mourn when your life was already public. Others counter that Erika crossed a line between honoring a legacy and commercializing loss the moment a book entered the frame.
But once the tragedy went viral, the internet asked what it could make of Erika Kirk.
