What was meant to be an emotional tribute to her late husband Charlie Kirk’s legacy quickly turned into a viral moment after Erika Kirk made what many are calling the “greatest Freudian slip of all time.”
While speaking onstage at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest event in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, December 20, the 37-year-old appeared to accidentally use the word “grift” instead of “grit” while praising her husband’s work.
Highlights
- Erika Kirk’s speech went viral after she accidentally said “grift” instead of “grit” while describing her late husband’s work.
- The slip sparked massive online debate, with some netizens calling it an unintentional error while others questioned whether it was truly accidental.
- Other key moments at the conference included Erika’s endorsement of JD Vance and Nicki Minaj’s own controversial slip of the tongue onstage.
The slip of the tongue quickly ignited a wave of online reactions, with many claiming it may have been more intentional than accidental.
“She said what she said… and meant it!” one social media user reacted to the now-viral moment.
Erika Kirk stepped into her late husband Charlie Kirk’s shoes by becoming the new CEO and chair of Turning Point USA following his assassination
Image credits: CBSNews
At the event, Erika Kirk was honoring a student named Caleb Chilcutt with the Charlie Kirk Courage Award.
Chilcutt, a student at Utah Valley University, received the award for his courage and for being by Charlie’s side when he was assassinated on campus earlier this year, on September 10.
The late founder of the conservative student organization Turning Point USA was fatally attacked during a debate event in broad daylight by an armed assailant, who authorities later identified as Tyler Robinson.
Image credits: mrserikakirk
Chilcutt has also led efforts to establish a permanent memorial for Kirk on his college campus.
In videos from Saturday’s event, Erika is heard saying, “Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband… Caleb has persisted with the same grift,” before quickly adding, “Excuse me, gift,” and then correcting herself again to say, “grit.”
Image credits: turningpointusa
As the slip occurred, Erika placed a hand on her chest, let out a sigh, rested both hands on the podium, and leaned forward before addressing the audience directly, saying, “It has been a long day.”
The former Miss Arizona, who won the title in 2011, then turned and pointed to Caleb standing onstage and reassured him, saying, “Trust me, you're not a grifter, honey. It's all good."
Erika accidentally used the word “grift,” meaning petty or swindle, instead of “grit,” which refers to courage or determination, during her speech
Image credits: TheGlobal_Index
A grifter typically refers to someone who deceives or manipulates others for personal gain, while grit is commonly used to describe courage, perseverance, and determination.
Shortly afterward, the moment went viral online, sparking heated discussions among netizens over Erika’s word choice.
Image credits: RichardHanania
One of the most widely shared reactions came from X user Richard Hanania, whose post has garnered over 2.1 million views and more than 58,000 likes on the platform.
Hanania reposted a clip of the 37-year-old’s speech and added his commentary, writing, “This is the greatest Freudian slip of all time.”
A viewer in agreement commented, “She’s auditioning for wurst lady,” while another added, “That wasn’t a slip… You can’t lie to your subconscious.”
A third remarked, “Yeah, that slip was brutal when ‘grit’ accidentally comes out as ‘grift,’ it instantly undercuts the whole speech and says the quiet part out loud.”
The 37-year-old was honoring Utah Valley University senior Caleb Chilcutt with the Charlie Kirk Courage Award at the event
Image credits: Gage Skidmore
Mrs. Kirk was appointed the new CEO and chair of Turning Point USA following her husband’s assassination and has vowed to continue his mission.
Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest was a multi-day conference and festival held from December 18 to 21.
While her slip of the tongue became the most viral moment of the four-day event, viewers also pointed out several other notable moments.
Image credits: RichardHanania
During her opening remarks on the first day of the conference, Erika, wearing a sparkly gold sequin pantsuit, formally endorsed Vice President JD Vance for a potential 2028 presidential run.
Addressing thousands of attendees and viewers watching online, she said, “We are going to get my husband’s friend JD Vance elected for [48th US president] in the most resounding way possible.”
Image credits: RichardHanania
One critic mocked her sparkly outfit choice, writing, “The fifth and final stage of grief: glitter suit.”
Another viral and unexpected moment occurred on the event’s closing day when rapper Nicki Minaj walked hand-in-hand with Erika onto the stage to join her for a conversation.
Erika has also formally expressed her support for current Vice President JD Vance should he choose to run for president in the 2028 election
Image credits: AssociatedPress
The Super Bass singer referred to President Donald Trump as “handsome” and “dashing,” while expressing her “utmost respect and admiration for our president.”
During the discussion, while praising JD Vance as a role model, Minaj mistakenly referred to him as “the assassin JD Vance.”
The comment did not sit well with many viewers and was widely labeled “insensitive,” particularly given that the event served as a memorial for Charlie.
Image credits: mrserikakirk
Minaj appeared to quickly realize the error, covering her mouth and looking down, as Erika reassured her by saying, “You’re fine.”
Reacting to the moment, one netizen wrote, “Nikki Minaj should stick to music.. leave politics to the adults who pay attention what the hell is going on in society.”
A second commenter added, “Nicki is not a smart person… Her music career was on the decline so she's doing whatever to stay relevant.”
“Sooner or later the truth slips out! that slip is pretty hilarious, guess even Freud would be impressed,” joked one amused social media user
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