Erika Kirk, widow of the late Charlie Kirk, gave her first public remarks since her husband’s horrific assassination while speaking at a Utah college campus. She delivered the emotional address from Turning Point USA’s national headquarters in Phoenix while standing next to his empty podcasting chair.
For context, Charlie Kirk was assassinated on the morning of September 10th while engaging in discourse with college students. For years, Kirk was known for respectfully engaging with both voices who supported his vision and who did not. Kirk suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the next. Erika Kirk was in attendance on the day of the shooting.
Two days after the shooting, President Trump and the FBI announced they had the suspected killer in custody. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was turned in after a short manhunt, and Utah’s Republican governor Spencer Cox has already announced the state would seek the death penalty.
Kirk’s body was flown back to his home state of Arizona, a ceremony which included a short flight aboard the vice president’s Air Force Two and later witnessed JD Vance himself help carry the casket. In one particularly awful video, Vance can be seen placing his arm over a distraught Erika Kirk, doubled over at the waist in agony at seeing her husband’s casket.
Two days after his death and back in Phoenix, Erika Kirk condemned the ‘evil doers’ who murdered her husband and vowed they ‘have no idea what they’ve done’ in terms of the response and retribution coming. Perhaps the most difficult part of the address came at the end; after the widowed Kirk’s initial fire, she spoke about the most awful loss of all – that of a father.
“I want to thank the millions of people who have shown their love for Charlie here in Phoenix, across America and worldwide. I want to thank my husband’s dear friend, Vice President Vance and his phenomenal wife, Usha, for their love and support. You guys honored my husband so well bringing him home. You both are tremendous. I want to thank President Trump and his incredible family for the same Mr. President, my husband loved you, and he knew that you loved him too. He did. Your friendship was amazing. You supported him so well as did he for you,” Kirk said in part of her lengthy response.
“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose, already I have seen the worldwide outpouring of love for my husband. I’ve heard the testimonies from people my husband inspired to get married, to start families, to seek out a relationship with God. It’s the most important, most important one of the evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination. Have no idea what they have done. They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith and of God’s merciful love,” she added.
“One of Charlie’s favorite Bible verses was Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, my husband laid down his life for me, for our nation, for our children.”
“When I got home last night, Gigi, our daughter, just ran into our high arms, and I talked to her, and she said, Mommy, I missed you. I said, I miss you too, baby. She goes, Where’s Daddy? What do you tell a three year old? She’s three. I said, Baby Daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry. He’s on a he’s on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry…,” she finished.