Erika Kirk named TPUSA CEO and board chair
Turning Point USA’s board unanimously elected Erika Kirk, widow of founder Charlie Kirk, as CEO and board chair in a Sept. 18, 2025 announcement following his Sept. 10 assassination, saying Charlie had previously told executives he wanted her to lead; the organization — which says it has a presence on about 3,500 U.S. campuses and has received more than 62,000 student chapter requests since his death — said she will continue Charlie’s shows, podcasts, campus tour and events like AmericaFest. Erika Kirk, who holds a Juris Master’s in American Legal Studies, founded Proclaim and hosts a podcast, has said The Charlie Kirk Show will continue with rotating hosts, publicly forgave the accused shooter, and is slated to speak at a Sept. 21 memorial alongside President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, with COO Tyler Bowyer saying her leadership will help expand outreach to young women.
📰 Sources (4)
- Erika Kirk appeared on The Charlie Kirk Show (podcast) on Friday and recounted a personal anecdote about Charlie (her mother predicting he'd be 'the Rush Limbaugh of your generation').
- She stated explicitly on-air that 'The Charlie Kirk Show' will continue and described plans for rotating hosts and rotating casts so the program will remain active.
- She reiterated publicly (on the podcast) that she forgave the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson — a statement previously delivered at the memorial but repeated here on the program.
- TPUSA now says it has received more than 62,000 requests from students to start or join chapters since Charlie Kirk’s assassination (an increase over earlier tallies).
- Erika Kirk is slated to speak at the Sept. 21 Glendale, Ariz., memorial alongside President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
- COO Tyler Bowyer publicly framed the succession as Charlie Kirk’s stated wish and said Erika would help expand outreach to young women.
- Erika reiterated plans to continue TPUSA’s campus tour, AmericaFest, and Charlie Kirk’s radio/podcast, with new emphatic quotes from her first public remarks.
- TPUSA board says Charlie Kirk had told multiple executives he wanted Erika Kirk to lead the organization in the event of his death.
- CBS reiterates that Erika Kirk will serve as both CEO and chair and that the board’s vote was unanimous.
- TPUSA’s scope cited as having a presence on 3,500 U.S. campuses (per the organization’s website).
- Erika Kirk restates that Charlie Kirk’s shows, podcasts, and the TPUSA tour will continue under her leadership.
- Background on Erika Kirk’s credentials (Juris Master’s in American Legal Studies; doctoral studies in Biblical studies; founder of Proclaim; podcast host).
- Turning Point USA announced a unanimous board vote to elect Erika Kirk as CEO and board chair.
- The announcement came Sept. 18, 2025, following Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination.
- TPUSA statement included: “May God Bless Erika, the Kirk family, and the entire team at Turning Point USA.”