Erika Kirk's 'Intimate' and 'Passionate' Gesture With J.D. Vance Wasn't Reciprocated by Vice President, Body Language Expert Reveals

Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, and Vice President J.D. Vance sent social media users into a frenzy when they warmly embraced onstage at an October 29 Turning Point USA event.

Some accused them of having romantic feelings for each other despite the VP being married to wife Usha, but body language expert Mark Bowden exclusively explains to OK! that J.D.'s movements signaled he doesn't see Erika that way.

According to Bowden, the mom-of-two head's tilt — which "can appear coquettish or flirtatious" — made it look like she had been "excitedly anticipating this moment."

"Her hands are then outstretched high as she walks towards him. This gesture tends to display to an audience a high level of emotionality, and here, an intent to engage in a passionate, emotional embrace," he shares.

Meanwhile, the VP's "hands are lower, coming out at around his hip height and aimed at her waist. This is a more controlling gesture."

Erika's "move to cradle his head and neck is highly significant," as "the head and neck are extremely vulnerable areas," the expert notes.

"While this can be an intimate gesture, in this high-stakes public context, it functions as an attention-controlling move," he continues. "By holding his head, she controls his line of sight and becomes the dominant actor in the embrace, a potential, or even subconscious, move to regain some control."

Bowden points out that J.D. — who according to Covers.com, is the current favorite to win the 2028 presidential election — putting his hands on "the small to middle of her back" is a move "often reserved for more intimate relationships."

"Placing hands here is simultaneously supportive yet also highly intimate — far more so than the shoulders," he continues. "However, as her gesture becomes more dominant (the head hold), his intimate hand placement is quickly resolved, i.e. he moves his hands in such a way to resolve the embrace."

The vice president responded to "her controlling head hold" by giving a "double tap" on Erika's back.

"This is a predominantly male-to-male 'buddy' gesture in U.S. culture, its purpose is to non-verbally reframe an interaction. The double tap serves to break the intimacy," Bowden says, "as it signals, 'this embrace is not romantic or sexual.'"

It also helped end the interaction in a "non-aggressive" way.

"There was a significant mismatch in each person's expectations regarding hierarchy, power, and intimacy," spills Bowden.

"J.D. Vance underlines the end of the embrace by moving her on to the side with that one lingering hand, then turning face on to the audience and holding up his hands in a stance that may appear reminiscent of a 'nothing to see here!' gesture," he adds.

Bowden concludes that despite the "romanticized" cues, the way J.D. "ends the embrace with the double tap, and moves her along and out" shows "he's clearing away any notion of romantic involvement."