Erika Kirk has suddenly returned to the limelight following the death of her husband, Charlie Kirk. So far, many would say that she has embraced celebrity status, but now she might be discovering the downside as well. Her initial journey to the spotlight began back in her beauty pageant era, and then after Kirk was assassinated.
What started as sympathy quickly turned into criticism for Erika Kirk. Her reputation declined following her Fox News appearance during Christmas, when she was promoting Charlie’s posthumous book. More recently, she has faced backlash for appearing alongside prominent MAGA figures.
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Recently, Mike Johnson, the House Speaker, hosted Erika Kirk at the Capitol. He posted a picture of them together, along with his wife, Kelly, on his Instagram. “Kelly and I enjoyed hosting our dear friend @mrserikakirk yesterday at the Capitol. What an inspiration she has been to so many countless millions of people around the world,” wrote Johnson.
He added, “Because of her faith and courage, the best days of @turningpointusa are still ahead of us!” Although his post received applause from the MAGA clan, critics quickly responded with more backlash.
In the photo, Kirk is seen striking a Donald Trump pose, with her smile and thumbs-up gesture. However, many found it inappropriate for a grieving widow. “18 years after my husband died and I’m still not as happy as her,” wrote a commentator. Another echoed, “Yes, she’s the happiest widow I’ve ever seen.”
“She has been in the public eye MORE since his death than she has been privately grieving or at home caring for her children’s hearts and wellbeing,” a third lamented. “This is sick, it’s not ok,” wrote the user.
The best days of @TPUSA were when Charlie Kirk was running it.
— Lucy Riles (@LucyRiles) January 24, 2026
The backlash only grew intense following Johnson’s comment about Kirk. He seemingly dismissed Charlie Kirk’s contributions by saying that with Erika as the new CEO, the organization will have its “best days.”
Referring to the House Speaker’s comment, one user wrote, “Somehow, without Charlie, I doubt Turning Point USA’s best days are in front of them. He was a once in a lifetime individual.” However, Erika herself thinks that she could run Turning Point USA as well as her late husband, if not better.
“I’m the exact same way as [Charlie]. If you are trying to put up fight or flight mode, we’re always fight mode. We don’t retreat,” Erik said in December.
