Erika Kirk's Rise to Power

Erika Kirk's Rise to Power

May 8, 2026 · 40 min

About this episode

This episode discusses Erika Kirk's political journey following her husband's assassination and the internet's reaction to her efforts.

After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Erika Kirk tried to turn grief into political momentum. Instead, the internet turned the entire thing into a meme. Akilah Hughes talks with journalist Kat Tenbarge about Erika Kirk’s chaotic rise inside Turning Point USA, the backlash to her grief tour, and her feud with Candace Owens. This episode explores internet culture, conservative media, gender politics, and the efforts to capture the post-Trump MAGA universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Akilah Hughes

Guest: Kat Tenbarge

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Turning Point USA

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