I'm impressed with Erika Kirk, and the more I think about it, the more I think not everyone truly understands what it is she's having to do.
Erika's journey is incredibly difficult for a multitude of reasons. In fact, I'd say her job is going to be much tougher than Charlie's, despite it technically being the same one. For starters, and this is the most obvious reason, she's having to do this job without her husband's wisdom or guidance, as that was taken from her one fateful day, without warning, and very unfairly.
When Charlie was doing this job, and doing it brilliantly, he had Erika next to him. He could lean on her when things got tough. He could consult with her when he wanted advice or a differing perspective. He went to bed every night knowing she was there for him.
Erika doesn't have that. She doesn't have Charlie to turn to. She doesn't have his voice to add to the discussion. She doesn't have him there when she lays her head down at night, at least not physically. Erika is carrying this burden alone, and doing so while still raising the children she and Charlie made together.
The brilliance of her murdered husband, Charlie, can't be replaced, only replicated to a degree, and just like when Andrew Breitbart died, trying to be the "next Charlie Kirk" is a fool's errand. Yet, this is the expectation put on his widowed wife, Erika. She has to carry Charlie's burden, continue Charlie's vision, and accomplish Charlie's goals, all while not being Charlie.
Now add to that the fact that Charlie's murder came at about the same time that the conservative movement began to show signs of fracture. Talking heads and influencers began to go their separate ways on topics like Israel, immigration, policies, and even President Donald Trump. Erika now finds herself at the center of the most influential conservative organization in the United States during this time. In a way, keeping the conservative movement held together falls, at least partly, on her shoulders.
She has to help hold it together as the midterms approach, while holding TPUSA together, while holding her family together, while holding herself together.
And this is exactly what she's doing right now. Carrying burdens that many of us would crumble under. As my colleague Sister Toldjah reported, Erika took the stage at AmFest, the first without Charlie, and gave a speech about staying together. She revealed she's even honoring all of Charlie's pre-booked arrangements for his book promotion.
Her strength is astounding, but there is one more element she's having to deal with, and that's public perception.
Erika has to be the face of several things all at once. Not just TPUSA, but of a conservative movement's grief at the loss of a great man. She's having to keep the show going even when it's painful to do so, and the left is smelling this blood in the water and doing everything they can to vilify her in the face of an ignorant public.
Every move is being scrutinized. Every hand gesture, every hug, every word, every tear. Her history is being looked over with a magnifying glass. Anything and everything that can be spun is being spun. They are desperate to villainize her, and I can attest personally that this is working on those who don't know any better. Many people believe that Erika is "weird" or "corrupt." Some even believe the conspiracy theory that she had Charlie murdered.
Then there's the endless mockery of her grief while having to do the job left to her.
This comedian’s video calling out Erika Kirk — that’s appropriately & not ironically inspired by Diddy’s fake grief over Biggie’s death during a tribute performance at the MTV VMAs in 1997 — has over 5K comments on Instagram and I can’t find any that are Team Erika.
— LIZ CROKIN (@LizCrokin) December 13, 2025
They… pic.twitter.com/HeiQMQPEJc
🚨The Erika Kirk PSYOP is falling to pieces...
— In2ThinAir (@In2ThinAir) December 14, 2025
She's a horrible actress and more and more people everyday are waking up to the lies and her nonsense media tour.pic.twitter.com/Yeu3zZZjn5
The death of a spouse is heavy enough for anyone to have to carry, but Erika is carrying this and so much more. More than anyone could carry without the help of God directly. Given all this, we should be astounded by Erika's strength and sense of duty.
There's a saying that I feel is appropriate for Erika.
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels."
