US President Donald Trump spotlighted Erika Kirk on Tuesday, February 24, during his State of the Union speech as he remembered her husband, Charlie Kirk, and his contribution to the rise of religion in America.
As cameras panned to Erika, people noted her mouthing three words to honor the late conservative leader.
While seeing the gesture from Charlie’s widow made some on social media emotional, others seemed unconvinced and called her out for faking her grief.
Highlights
- Cameras focused on Erika Kirk after President Donald Trump honored her late husband, Charlie, during the State of the Union, sparking an immediate wave of online reactions.
- While some viewers saw a grieving widow trying to stay strong, others accused her of being performative.
- The renewed attention followed earlier backlash over a missing wedding photo, her demeanor during a staff video call, and a widely discussed onstage hug with Vice President JD Vance.
“I see someone trying to look strong while she is breaking inside,” said a netizen, while another added, “Theatrical nonsense as usual.”
Erika Kirk’s three-word reaction to Donald Trump’s appreciation for Charlie has gone viral
Image credits: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
The State of the Union is an annual event in the US in which the president sets out his agenda and highlights achievements from the past year.
During the speech, Trump noted, “I’m very proud to say that during my time in office, both the first four years and in particular this last year, there has been a tremendous renewal in religion, faith, Christianity, and belief in God.”
“And a big part of that had to do with my great friend Charlie Kirk,” he added.
Image credits: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
Trump continued: “So Charlie, who was violently m**dered by an assassin and martyred for his belief. His wonderful wife Erika is with us tonight.”
As the audience rose to applaud Charlie and acknowledge Erika’s presence, she was seen mouthing what viewers believe was, “I miss you.”
Reacting to the moment, an X user wrote, “Seeing Erika Kirk mouth ‘I miss you’ is heartbreaking.”
Image credits: Nathan Posner/Anadolu/Getty Images
“I think what has happened is finally hitting her,” observed a second, while a third added, “You can see her struggling to keep her composure when hearing Charlie’s name.”
Detractors made themselves heard as well, with one saying, “She is more showgirl than Charlie Kirk.”
A second added, “I don’t trust her. There is something off about her.”
Image credits: JuanSoBased
Image credits: LuetzowQ
“She couldn’t even force a single tear,” noted a third.
A fourth echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “Erika is yet to shed a tear for the d**th of her husband, and also she is so happy being the center of attention.”
This did not mark the first time Erika’s loyalty toward her husband was questioned
Image credits: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
During a December 2025 interview, Erika sat in the same space where her late husband used to film his podcast.
Viewers at the time noticed that the framed photograph from their wedding, which had appeared in the background of his videos, was missing.
What followed were allegations about how quickly Erika appeared to be moving on.
“She f***ing hated him,” one social media user commented, while another added, “So messed up, I feel like she’ll be remarried next summer.”
A third said they felt “sorry for Charlie,” claiming he “got used” by Erika.
Image credits: gdcribbs
Image credits: AlternativeEsme
“She was probably secretly jealous of him,” wrote another.
The backlash led a Turning Point USA spokesperson to clarify in a statement to Newsweek that the 37-year-old “moved it [their wedding photo] to a lower shelf when her daughter asked to see it.”
Before this, Erika was criticized for giggling soon after Charlie’s passing, followed by celebrating TPUSA’s merchandise sales
Image credits: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
Charlie Kirk was fatally struck by a rooftop sniper, now identified as Tyler James Robinson, inside the Utah Valley University campus on September 10, 2025.
Erika Kirk addressed team members of the conservative youth activist organization that Charlie co-founded on a video call on September 16. The call reportedly began with Erika joking about how she hated Zoom.
Her attitude left netizens uneasy, with one saying, “Bro, I mourned my cat’s d**th longer,” and another noting, “She’s straight up beaming like she just won a lottery.”
Image credits: kawaiibsfr
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Political commentator Candace Owens released a leaked clip from the same video call, further fueling speculation about whether Erika was truly mourning.
In the footage, Erika couldn’t stop talking about her husband’s memorial service, which included her much-debated fireworks entry. She was heard praising the TPUSA staff for expertly executing what she referred to as the “event of the century.”
She then proceeded to outline the organization’s merchandise sales, detailing, “We’re at like over 200,000 for merch sales” at this point, and “it just keeps bumping up like crazy.”
Contrary to critics’ belief that Erika had moved on with her life, when she appeared on a podcast hosted by Glenn Beck three months later, she conveyed that the short time had felt “like three years.”
Erika also asserted her loyalty to Charlie after her onstage hug with US Vice President JD Vance set social media abuzz.
The embrace, deemed “super intimate” by some because Erika placed her hand behind his head and he briefly rested his hand on her waist, took place only seven weeks after Charlie’s assassination.
Addressing the fiasco in November during a sit-down with Megyn Kelly, Erika said she was stunned by the level of scrutiny.
She explained it meant nothing more than the fact that her “love language” was touch.
"Happiest widow in America," a netizen remarked
