From the moment she stepped to the microphone, Erika Kirk made her message clear: the murder of her husband would not end the conservative youth movement he built. Instead, she vowed, it would drive it forward with a force his enemies could never have imagined.
“If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea what you just unleashed across this entire country, in this world. You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife.”
Her voice unwavering, she vowed: “My husband’s mission will not end, not even for a moment. It will become stronger, bolder, louder, and greater than ever. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.”
Before a packed studio and millions more watching online, the wife of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk cast aside any notion of retreat. She told supporters that the national organization he founded in 2012, would continue without pause. “To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die. It won’t. I refuse to let that happen. It will not die. All of us will refuse to let that happen.”
Erika, who often worked behind the scenes supporting her husband’s efforts, made clear that she is now stepping to the front. “No one will ever forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it,” she promised. “His voice will remain, and it will ring out louder and more clearly than ever. His wisdom will endure.”
While her words pointed firmly to the future, Erika also paused to thank those who stood by her family in the tragedy’s aftermath. She recognized the first responders who tried to save Charlie’s life, the officers who captured his alleged assassin, and the police who secured the scene. She praised the Turning Point USA staff for providing stability in “these terrible days,” and she singled out COO Justin Strife and Kirk’s chief of staff, Mikey McCoy, for their leadership.
Erika extended her gratitude to millions of Americans and international supporters who expressed their sympathy, recalling how Charlie looked forward to broadcasting his podcast. “Every day, he loved it. He loved what he did,” she said. “And I want to thank the staffers of his amazing Charlie Kirk Show who helped him broadcast from this studio, this chair.”
Erika spoke of the simple joys of her husband’s life—his devotion to nature, his beloved Chicago Cubs and Oregon Ducks, and, above all, his family. “Most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me with all of his heart. And I knew that. Every day I knew that,” she said.
She described Charlie’s faith as the anchor of his life and the compass of his mission. “Two days ago, my husband went to see the face of his Savior and his God,” she continued. “Charlie always said that when he was gone, he wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith. In one of the final conversations that he had on this earth, my husband witnessed for his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, and for all eternity, he will stand at his Savior’s side wearing the glorious crown of a martyr.”
Erika reminded the audience of Charlie’s constant focus on strengthening marriage and family. “Every day, he would ask me, How can I serve you better? How can I be a better husband? How can I be a better father?” she recalled. “Charlie always believed that God’s design for marriage and the family was absolutely amazing. And it was the greatest joy of his life.”
She shared his favorite verse—Ephesians 5:25—“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”—and then added, “My husband laid down his life for me, for our nation, for our children. He showed the ultimate and true covenantal love.”
The assassination, she stressed, has failed in its intent. “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 pledged that the initiatives Charlie created—his campus tours, radio broadcasts, AmericaFest—would all continue. “Our campus tour this fall will continue. There will be even more tours in the years to come. AmericaFest here in Phoenix this December will go on. It will be greater than ever. The radio and podcast show that he was so proud of will go on,” she promised.
To the young people who Charlie’s work had inspired, Erika delivered a direct challenge: “If you’re in high school or if you’re in college, go find your local Turning Point USA chapter. Join it, stay involved. If there isn’t a chapter, then start one. There is no excuse,” she insisted. “And as my husband used to say in this room every single day, if you want to get involved, the best way you can do that is going to tpusa.com.”
Her appeal stretched beyond politics into faith. “Our battle is not simply a political one. Above all, it is spiritual. The spiritual warfare is palpable. Charlie loved his Savior with all of his heart, and he wanted every one of you to know him, too. He wanted everyone to know that if they confess the Lord Jesus Christ who rose from the dead, then they will be saved.”
Closing her remarks, Erika’s voice softened as she recalled the moment she had to explain her husband’s absence to their daughter. “When I got home last night, Gigi just ran into my arms. I talked to her and she said, ‘Mommy, I missed you.’ I said, ‘I missed you too, baby.’ She goes, ‘Where’s daddy?’ What do you tell a three-year-old? I said, ‘Baby, Daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry. He’s on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget.’”
Choking back tears, she lifted her eyes upward. “Charlie, baby, I promise, I will never let your legacy die. I promise I’ll make Turning Point USA the biggest thing that this nation has ever seen. Rest in the arms of our Lord as He blankets you with the words I know your heart always strived to hear: ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’”
As her words echoed across the world like a monument to resilience and hope, Erika closed with: “I can’t wait to see you again one day. Until then, I promise you—your mission lives on. We will never surrender. Ever.”