The Washington Post and fashion writer Ashley Fetters Maloy are drawing backlash on social media after a recent column addressing Erika Kirk’s wardrobe choices in recent months.
A January 8 column titled “Erika Kirk is walking a fine line in a glittering pantsuit” addressed two “common” questions that Fetters Maloy believes Kirk is being asked: “‘While you’re on this publicity tour, who’s parenting your kids?’ and ‘Why is that suit so sparkly?’” Kirk became the CEO of Turning Point USA after her husband, Charlie, was assassinated during an appearance at Utah Valley University in September.
The “publicity tour” reference refers to Kirk conducting several interviews promoting her husband’s posthumously released book, “Stop, in the Name of God.” Fetters Maloy examined the pantsuits that Kirk has worn, noting that many have featured glitter.
“They’re not unrelated, those two inquiries,” Fetters Maloy wrote. “Kirk, a mother to two toddlers, continues to take on public-facing leadership duties while promoting traditional ideas about prioritizing marriage and motherhood, and her clothes are attempting to walk the same high wire.”
Column: Erika Kirk, a mother to two toddlers, continues to take on public-facing leadership duties while promoting traditional ideas about prioritizing marriage and motherhood.
Here’s how her clothes are attempting to walk the same line: https://t.co/v2ToX0lwor pic.twitter.com/hPX0R1ndhd
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 10, 2026
Fetters Maloy also discussed Kirk’s hair, even referencing Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the “sinister and cape-clad Commanders’ wives.” The column features four pictures of Kirk’s clothing, as well as an image focused on her jewelry during a December appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
Kirk declined an interview with Fetters Maloy, and she had not publicly commented on the column at publication.
Although the story was published on January 8, a January 10 post from the Washington Post’s official X account quickly went viral. The post had over 1.7 million views and 1,100 responses at publication, many criticizing Fetters Maloy and the newspaper for what they believed to be a harsh, personal takedown of Kirk.
Dear Erika,
Wear all the sparkles.
Love,
Your fellow career women https://t.co/TeBjQI099X
— Erika Donalds (@ErikaDonalds) January 13, 2026
Fetters Maloy’s position as a fashion columnist means that her job is, as the role states, to cover fashion. However, many commenters specifically took issue with the line questioning who was watching Kirk’s children. Kirk has a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son.
“This is gross, WaPo,” read one response. “Her husband was murdered in cold blood. That makes it difficult to be a stay-at-home mom.”
Another X user added, “So just to be clear, you thought it was appropriate to scrutinize a woman’s clothing, parenting, and ‘authenticity’ while she is leading an organization and grieving her husband’s horrific murder?”
JUST IN: Erika Kirk just brought out Nicki Minaj at America Fest.
The appearance comes after Minaj recently defended Christians facing persecution in Nigeria.
She’s speaking her mind, defending President Trump and JD Vance, she’s proud to be American, and advocating for… pic.twitter.com/bn2TGHjRbP
— Ape𝕏 (@CubanOnlyTrump) December 21, 2025
As of publication, neither the Washington Post nor Fetters Maloy had addressed the criticism. Fetters Maloy does not regularly post on X or Bluesky, and her most recent article, which was published on January 11, discussed the best red-carpet looks at the 2026 Golden Globes.
“The [Washington Post] will center ideas supporting feminism and expressive individualism…unless it’s a conservative woman and then she must be ridiculed for her clothes and working with two toddlers,” conservative content creator Erik Reed wrote.
