Charlie Kirk’s Widow, Erika, Steps In as New Turning Point CEO: ‘This Is What He Wanted’

The Turning Point USA board voted unanimously for Erika Kirk to take her husband’s place as the head of Turning Point USA

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Charlie Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, has voted unanimously to name his widow, Erika Kirk, as the new CEO and chairman of the board
Members of the TPUSA board released an open letter this week saying that, prior to his death, Kirk had “expressed to multiple executives that this is what he wanted”
Kirk was shot and killed during a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10

Following the shooting death of Charlie Kirk, his organization, Turning Point USA, has voted unanimously to name his widow, Erika Frantzve Kirk, as the CEO and chairman of the board.

Members of the Turning Point board released an open letter on social media this week, detailing the changes to come. The letter said that, “In prior discussions, Charlie expressed to multiple executives that this is what he wanted in the event of his death.”

“It was the honor of our lives to serve as board members at Charlie’s side,” read the letter. “Charlie prepared all of us for a moment like this one. He worked tirelessly to ensure that Turning Point USA was built to survive even the greatest tests. And now, it is our great pride to announce Erika Kirk as the new CEO and Chair of the Board for Turning Point USA.”

“All of us at Turning Point USA have a special role in carrying Charlie Kirk’s mantle and completing his vision of bringing us closer to our Lord and fostering a prosperous country for generations to come,” TPUSA’s statement continued. “The attempt to destroy Charlie’s work will become our chance to make it more powerful and enduring than ever before.”

Charlie rose to fame after co-founding Turning Point at 18 years old to advocate for conservative politics on high school and college campuses.

His radio talk show, called The Charlie Kirk Show, made him a close ally of Donald Trump leading up to the 2020 presidential election, and he became a prominent voice in the Republican Party, especially for young voters.

Charlie also often went viral on social media for his debates with more liberal-leaning students at college campuses around the country. He was conducting one of his signature “Prove Me Wrong” debate events at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 when he was shot and killed.

Kirk married podcaster and former Miss Arizona USA Erika Frantzve in 2021, and the couple shared two children: a girl born in 2022 and a boy born in 2024.

Erika broke her silence about her husband’s murder on The Charlie Kirk Show two days after he died.

“Charlie always said that when he was gone, he wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith,” Erika said. “Most of all, Charlie loved his children, and he loved me with all of his heart. My husband laid down his life for me, for our nation, for our children.”

She also revealed that plans were being made for Charlie’s American Comeback Tour to continue in the fall.

“I honestly have no idea what any of this means. I know that God does, but I don’t,” she said. “All the evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done.”

Matt Lamb, a former Turning Point USA official, told PEOPLE of Charlie after his death, “Certainly, he has a more important legacy than Turning Point in his wife and his two kids.”