Studying Time: 3 minutes
On Thursday evening, Erika Kirk addressed a crowd of scholars on the College of Mississippi.
Earlier than bringing Vice President J.D. Vance onto the stage, the Turning Level USA CEO opened up about her emotions seven weeks after the homicide of her husband, Charlie Kirk.
“You guys have no idea how helpful it is to have all of you in my life … you make me feel even more connected to my husband,” Erika instructed the group at one level, including:
Erika Kirk, widow of Turning Level USA founder Charlie Kirk, speaks throughout a Turning Level USA occasion the place U.S. Vice President JD Vance is anticipated, on the Pavilion at Ole Miss on the College of Mississippi, on October 29, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photograph by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Photographs)
“He didn’t leave us empty-handed. He built a machine. And all of you are a part of that.”
Erika Kirk takes the stage with J.D. Vance
After a speech of practically an hour, Kirk launched Vance. And her feedback in regards to the vp have acquired a good quantity of criticism.
“When our team asked my dear friend, Vice President JD Vance, to speak today, I really prayed on it because, obviously, it’s a very emotional, emotional day,” Kirk stated.
“But I could just hear Charlie in my heart. I could just hear him say, ‘Go reclaim that territory, babe.’ The battle’s already won. God’s love conquers. And that’s why I’m here today.’”
Kirk went on to say that whereas nobody may “replace” her husband, she noticed essential “similarities” between Charlie and Vance.
US Vice President JD Vance (R) greets Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, throughout a Turning Level USA occasion on the College of Mississippi, in Oxford, Mississippi, October 29, 2025. (Photograph by JONATHAN ERNST/POOL/AFP through Getty Photographs)
For his half, Vance praised Kirk for his political capability, noting that the podcast host urged the Trump administration to not strike nuclear websites in Iran.
Trump did so, however Vance claims that Charlie was happy when the plan labored out.
“I really believe that one of the reasons why the president of the United States knocked out the Iranian nuclear facilities, but never got the United States into a protracted military conflict and never lost a single American in a Middle Eastern conflict is because we had the wisdom and the good sense to recognize that the American people are done with American troops dying in unnecessary foreign conflicts … but Charlie Kirk reminded me of that,” Vance stated.
The group responded with chants of “48,” a transparent endorsement of Vance as Donald Trump’s successor within the White Home.
Erika Kirk, widow of Turning Level USA founder Charlie Kirk, speaks throughout a Turning Level USA occasion the place U.S. Vice President JD Vance is anticipated, on the Pavilion at Ole Miss on the College of Mississippi, on October 29, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photograph by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Photographs)
There was all kinds of criticism of the Kirk-Vance occasion, with some arguing that it’s inappropriate for a Erika to match her late husband to a different man, and others complaining in regards to the continued politicization of Charlie Kirk’s loss of life from those that search to realize workplace.
“Publicly simping over another man one month after husband’s murder. The American values MAGA wants to preserve,” wrote one X consumer.
“This is sick… it’s been barely a month since Charlie passed,” one other tweeted, alongside a photograph of Kirk and Vance embracing on stage.
“Starting with ‘no one can ever replace my husband… but JD Vance’ is a very deliberate choice,” a 3rd chimed in.
“No one will ever replace her husband, though she seems to be giving it a solid try,” a fourth remarked.
Neither Vance nor Kirk has publicly responded to the criticism of their onstage interplay.
