Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, addressed the public for the first time since her husband’s slaying two days ago, calling him a “martyr” in live-streamed remarks Friday evening.
She opened her address with thanks to law enforcement, first responders, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
“Mr. President, my husband loved you, and he knew that you loved him too,” she said.
This is the first time Erika Kirk, 36, has spoken publicly since her husband, 31, was shot and killed while speaking in front of a large crowd on campus at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
“I will never, ever have the words to describe the loss that I feel in my heart,” she continued. “I honestly have no idea what any of this means. I know that God does, but I don’t.”
Erika Kirk’s remarks come the same day authorities announced they’d captured a suspect in the shooting, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. He’s been charged with three state felony offenses: aggravated murder — which carries the possibility of the death penalty — along with obstruction of justice and discharge of a weapon causing serious bodily injury.
“The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done,” she said, adding, “If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country.”
The pair married in 2021 and have two children together, a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son. When her daughter asked her Thursday night where he was, she said Friday, she told her, “He’s on a work trip with Jesus.”
The former Miss Arizona regularly appeared alongside her right-wing influencer husband and spoke at his Turning Point USA conference in June, encouraging women to seek marriage.
“For the women who are getting married after 30 — that’s OK,” she said, then added, “It’s not ideal. It’s not probably the best statistical position for you — but God is good.”
Speaking Friday, Erika Kirk once again shared her beliefs about the importance of marriage and child-rearing, which was something her husband regularly espoused.
“Charlie always said that if he ever ran for office ― I know a lot of you asked if he ever was going to, but privately he told me, if he ever did run for office, that his top priority would be to revive the American family,” she said.
Since 2019, she’s hosted a Christian podcast called “Midweek Rise Up.” She also owns a faith-based streetwear line tied to a Christian ministry she runs called BIBLEin365, according to her website.
Erika Kirk said the speaking tour her husband was on when he was killed will continue, though it’s unclear who will headline the events.
“I promise I’ll make Turning Point USA the biggest thing that this nation has ever seen,” she said.