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Topics: Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk, JD Vance, US News, Politics
Britt Jones
Topics: Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk, JD Vance, US News, Politics
Erika Kirk has spoken out about the backlash she’s received after sharing a seemingly controversial hug with US Vice President JD Vance.
If you've been living under a rock and don’t know what I’m talking about, Erika, 37, has been publicly speaking out after the death of her husband, 31-year-old political activist Charlie Kirk, whose assassination shocked the world.
Kirk, who was the CEO of Turning Point USA, was shot on 10 September at Utah Valley University, with authorities later arresting and charging suspect Tyler Robinson shortly after.
Since his death, US President Donald Trump and Vance have been active in keeping Kirk’s memory alive and showing solidarity with Erika at various events in his honour.
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However, it was when Vance joined Erika at the University of Mississippi on 29 October with Turning Point USA to celebrate her promotion to CEO, that things took a turn.
It was there that she introduced him to the stage and claimed he shared ‘some similarities’ to her late husband.
As Vance walked onto the stage, the two tightly embraced, and Erika then cupped the back of the VP's head with one hand, while he rested his hands on her waist.
However, this exchange led social media users to kick off and dub the act as being 'inappropriate'.
Since then, Erika has spoken out about the incident at the Megyn Kelly Live event on 22 November, during which she detailed what happened.
The mother of two said on-stage: "My love language is touch, if you will. So I will give you a play-by-play: They just played the emotional video. I'm walking over, [JD] is walking over. I'm starting to cry.
"He says, 'I'm so proud of you'. And I say, 'God bless you', and I touch the back of his head. Anyone whom I have hugged, that I have touched the back of your head when I hug you, I always say, 'God bless you'."
Megyn then joked: "They were acting like you touched the back of his a**!"
Erika then agreed, stating: "I feel like I wouldn't get as much hate if I did that!"
People further reported that Erika had also been seen hugging Sergio Gor, who was recently sworn in as the new US Ambassador to India, a week later.
The CEO had previously said that following her husband's death, she has been continuously 'analysed' by cameras, as she told Fox News: "There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered.
"There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analysing my every move, analysing my every smile, my every tear. We deserve to have cameras in there.
Why not be transparent? There's nothing to hide. I know there's not because I've seen what the case is built on.
"Let everyone see what true evil is. This is something that could impact generations to come."