Rumors That Have Plagued Erika Kirk Since Husband Charlie's Death

The assassination of Charlie Kirk came as a blow to the millions who enjoyed his debate style and conservative messaging. But no one was more affected by his death than his wife, Erika Kirk, who was at a doctor's appointment with her mother when Charlie was shot at a rally in Utah. In the blink of an eye, the young mother became a widow tasked with keeping her husband's message and work going even in the middle of her grief. The weeks following have been no less difficult, despite the outpouring of support and piles of condolence notes and artwork sent to her by fans. Holidays and special days have already passed without her husband at her side; shockingly, Erika was snubbed on her birthday by the Trumps and Vances, who remained silent on social media despite their close ties to the family. 

Adding to Erika's already weighty burdens are the rumors that have been circulating about her ever since Charlie's death. Some seem plausible enough, while others are so far-fetched as to be insulting. These are the most rampant bits of (all debunked) gossip about the new CEO of Turning Point USA. 

Whether out of true wishful thinking or a selfish bid for clicks, a since-deleted Facebook post claimed in October 2025 that Erika Kirk was pregnant. As reported by Snopes, the rumor spawned reposts and embellishments, including a photo of Erika holding an ultrasound image, and a message in which she supposedly said, "This child was conceived in love, but will grow up without knowing the man who dreamed about holding them." The timing of the post suggested that the Kirks had conceived at some point before Charlie Kirk's untimely death, but had been waiting to announce the news. 

Erika herself put an end to the buzz the following month when she guested on "The Megyn Kelly Show." The former Miss Arizona beauty queen smiled as she mentioned her "two precious babies," a toddler son and 3-year-old daughter. She added that she and Charlie always planned to have four children, "and I was praying to God that I was pregnant when he got murdered," Erika said. "I was like, 'Oh my goodness, that would be the ultimate blessing out of this catastrophe." Though she didn't come out and say there was still a chance she might be expecting, her use of the past tense indicated otherwise. Erika went on to urge married women not to wait before starting families: "You can always, you know, go back to work; you can never just go back to having children."

Charlie Kirk was a good friend to many in the Trump administration, among them JD Vance. But not long after Charlie's death, many wondered just how friendly Vance was with Charlie's widow. The veep was a special guest at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi in late October, and the cozy embrace Vance shared with Erika as they met onstage seemed a little too intimate. That, combined with the red flags apparent in JD and Usha Vance's marriage, led to lots of tongue-wagging over what the future might hold. "This has 'I want to be First Lady' written all over it," quipped one user on X. It didn't help matters that Erika introduced her friend by saying she saw similar qualities in Vance and her husband.  

Erika attempted to do damage control on "The Megyn Kelly Show" the following month, explaining to the conservative host that she was just doing what came naturally. "Whoever is hating on a hug needs a hug themselves — I will give you a free hug any time you want a hug," she announced (per Newsweek). "My love language is touch, if you will." The last time Erika and Vance were seen in the same room was when they attended the Oval Office swearing-in ceremony of Sergio Gor, the new U.S. ambassador to India. The two were positioned on opposite sides of President Trump's desk, as if to keep any further rumormongering at bay.

Time was when a grieving spouse was expected to wait at least a year before dating again. While the etiquette has relaxed somewhat since then, many still consider it inappropriate for a widow or widower to jump right back onto the market. That's why an outcry went up when a social media post supposedly by Erika Kirk went viral just days after husband Charlie's assassination. Per Snopes, the now-deleted message announced, "After losing Charlie last week, I wasn't sure how to move forward. But God put a new mission in my heart: helping young Christians find one another." The post went on to say Erika had not only created a Turning Point USA dating app, but that she was on it as well.

A closer look reveals that the tweet came from a satire account, but it was passed around various platforms and regarded as the real deal before the user deleted the posts. Erika hasn't addressed the phony claim, but it's probably safe to say she didn't appreciate being portrayed as anything less than a woman in mourning.

In a vein reminiscent of Donald Trump's meltdowns over ABC, the Facebook account America's Last Line of Defense posted a meme claiming Erika was filing a $40 million defamation lawsuit against both "The View" and parent company ABC. It included a quote purportedly from Erika herself, saying, "The things they said about my husband were shameful and disgusting." Once again, the story went into wide circulation by users who were more interested in rage-baiting than in learning the truth.

Following the death of Charlie Kirk, the women of "The View" did express their reactions, but they unanimously agreed that the killing was horrific and denounced political violence as being un-American. Alyssa Farah Griffin, the show's conservative member, said (via The Independent), "I know the one thing we all agree about on this table is that we all share our viewpoints. And we should be able to do that without fear." Notably, none said anything against the Turning Point USA founder himself. In case anyone needed further proof, the America's Last Line of Defense account is a self-described "entertainment website" which offers "trollery and propaganda for cash" and cautions, "Nothing on this page is real." 

At this writing, Erika has given no indication that she plans to pursue legal action against "The View" or any media outlet which discussed her husband's murder. If she does, the case would get enough news coverage to make a fake report irrelevant.

Erika Kirk has received posthumous awards in memory of her husband Charlie, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Fox News Patriot Award in a newly created category named for the influencer. But one honor attributed to her isn't quite what it seems. In late October 2024, a Facebook user posted the news that Erika had not only been named to TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People issue, but that she was also the cover subject. An image of the supposed cover showed the beauty pageant queen in her Miss Arizona gown and crown. The caption claimed that "the entire room rose in a standing ovation" following the announcement, though it wasn't clear who was in the room.

This was yet another rumor that can be tossed in the Too Good to Be True file. Though TIME did name Erika to its 100 Most Influential Rising Stars in September, the prestigious Most Influential People issue had already been out for months by then. Snopes reports that the AI-generated story was created overseas and is linked to monetizing blogs (in other words, they're profiting off curious readers). Only time — or rather, TIME — will tell whether Erika will make the cut in the 2026 edition.