Charlie Kirk’s wife addresses US nation

Erika Kirk has made a 16-minute speech following the assassination of her husband.

Charlie Kirk’s wife, who was baptised a Catholic, addressed the US nation on Friday night for the first time since her husband was shot dead with a single bullet on 10 September.

Erika Kirk opened by expressing her gratitude to law enforcement, first responders and the team at Turning Point USA – which her husband founded – for their bravery and support, reports CatholicVote.

She described Charlie Kirk as a devoted husband, father, patriot and man of God. She also recalled his unwavering love for their family, his dedication to his faith – he was an evangelical Christian – and his mission to revive the American family through Turning Point USA.

“Charlie always believed that God’s design for marriage and the family was absolutely amazing, and it is,” she said.

“It was the greatest joy of his life, and over and over he would tell all these young people to come and find their future spouse, become wives and husbands and parents, and the reason why is because he wanted you all to experience what he had and still has.”

She shared one of Charlie’s favourite Bible verses, Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her,” adding that Charlie embodied that sacrificial love.

“My husband laid down his life for me, for our nation, for our children,” she said. “He showed the ultimate and true covenantal love.”

She recounted his spiritual legacy, noting that one of his final acts was witnessing for Christ, and declared him a martyr.

While acknowledging her personal grief, she said that Charlie’s mission would not end with his death.

“The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done,” she said. “They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith and of God’s merciful love.

“If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world. You have no idea. You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife.

“The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry to everyone listening tonight across America. The movement my husband built will not die.”

She urged young people to continue Charlie’s work through Turning Point USA, calling for courage, faith and action.

She pledged to ensure Charlie’s legacy lives on, vowing that his voice and vision for the United States will only grow louder and more impactful and that she would continue his mission to “make heaven crowded”.

In an article for the Spectator, Rory Hanrahan makes the case that Charlie Kirk would one day have run for US president, while noting the vital role that Kirk's Christianity played in shaping his trajectory.

"His Christianity was not ornamental but integral, informing his stances on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," Hanrahan says. "In a secularising society, he reminded conservatives that faith could be a source of strength, not embarrassment.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Charlie Kirk would have one day run for president. The signs were all there: his national profile, his fundraising prowess, his ability to rally crowds that rivalled those of seasoned politicians.

"At a time when the Republican Party grapples with its identity – torn between isolationism and intervention, populism and principle – Kirk could have been the synthesis."

‍Photo: Charlie Kirk and and his wife, Erika, on stage during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball at the Salamander Hotel in Washington, DC, 19 January 2025. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images.)

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