Erika Kirk Breaks Down in Tears as Donald Trump Gushes Over Charlie's 'Wonderful Wife' at State of the Union

Erika Kirk, the widow of slain MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, attended the State of the Union address on Wednesday, February 24, as a special guest of President Donald Trump, who paid homage to her and her late husband in his rambling address.

During the record-breaking one hour and 47-minute speech, the president honored the memory of Erika's late husband, the founder of far-right conservative think tank Turning Point USA, who was assassinated in September 2025 during an event at Utah Valley University.

The POTUS referred to Charlie as a "martyr for his beliefs" and credited him with a "tremendous renewal" of faith among young people.

The 79-year-old commander-in-chief asked Erika, whom he called a "wonderful wife," to stand, prompting a standing ovation and chants of "Charlie" from the Republicans in the sparsely populated audience.

Erika blotted her eye with a tissue as President Trump said, “you’ve been through a lot,” using the moment to call for a total rejection of "political violence of any kind" and urging the nation to come together in Charlie's memory.

Following her husband's death, Erika was unanimously elected as the CEO and Chair of the Board for Turning Point USA.

Turning Point USA spokesman Matt Shupe said Erika wanted to attend the address because of her close relationship with the president.

“President Trump has been a source of strength for Erika, constantly checking in with her over the last five months, and Erika is incredibly honored to be invited by the president to attend tonight’s State of the Union,” the spokesman told The Daily Wire. “Erika has been thrust into an enormously important role by fate and tragedy — and because Charlie chose her should the horrible moment ever come — and she has risen to the occasion with grace, dignity and a lot of hard work.”

Some critics and media outlets described the tribute as "political theater" or a "made-for-TV flourish" designed to animate President Trump's base, with others suggesting her “performance” seemed “manic,” “unstable” and insincere.

Many also questioned the sincerity of the display or the labeling of Charlie as a "martyr" given his past controversial rhetoric — which some critics believe was rooted in white supremacy.

Political wonks questioned why Erika, who holds no official government or diplomatic title, was positioned "front and center" at such a high-profile event, viewing it as a sign of blurred lines between social influence and actual political power.

Erika has also been called out for her traditionalist stance on women and family as hypocritical given her own professional background and education.

The widow has been in the spotlight since her husband’s death. Most notably in December 2025, when she officially endorsed Vice President J.D. Vance to be the 48th U.S. President during the AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Ariz.

The two drew significant social media attention after an eyebrow-raising embrace at a University of Mississippi event in October 2025.

The interaction sparked rumors about an affair, which Erika dismissed by explaining that her "love language is touch" and that they were sharing a moment of grief for her late husband.