Erika Kirk Unanimously Elected as CEO and Board Chair of Turning Point USA Following Husband’s Assassination
Erika Kirk, widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has officially been elected as the new CEO and Chair of the Board of Turning Point USA, the grassroots youth organization her late husband founded. The announcement was made Thursday, just over a week after Charlie’s assassination at a campus event in Utah.
The decision was unanimous, with board members emphasizing that the move honors Charlie Kirk’s previously expressed wishes.
Charlie’s Final Wish Realized
In a statement released on X, the organization wrote, “The Turning Point Board has unanimously elected Erika Kirk as the new CEO and Chair of the Board. In prior discussions, Charlie expressed to multiple executives that this is what he wanted in the event of his death.”
The message was accompanied by a photo of the formal letter announcing the leadership transition, signed by TPUSA Board members Doug DeGroote, Mike Miller, Tom Sodeika, and Dave Engelhardt.
The Turning Point Board has unanimously elected Erika Kirk as the new CEO and Chair of the Board.
In prior discussions, Charlie expressed to multiple executives that this is what he wanted in the event of his death. pic.twitter.com/PazORgiHWP
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) September 18, 2025
“Charlie Prepared Us For This”
“It was the honor of our lives to serve as board members at Charlie’s side,” the board members wrote. “Charlie prepared all of us for a moment like this one. He worked tirelessly to ensure Turning Point USA was built to survive even the greatest tests.”
They emphasized that Erika’s appointment represents a continuation — not a departure — from Charlie’s vision. “All of us at Turning Point USA have a special role in carrying Charlie Kirk’s mantle and completing his vision of bringing us all closer to our Lord and fostering a prosperous country for generations to come.”
Faith, Resolve, and a Nation to Save
The letter concluded with a call to stand firm in the face of evil and opposition, invoking Charlie Kirk’s iconic phrase: “We have a country to save.”
“We will not surrender or kneel before evil. We will carry on,” the board vowed. “The attempt to destroy Charlie’s work will become our chance to make it more powerful and enduring than ever before.”
Erika Kirk, a longtime advocate for faith-based causes and a fixture within the TPUSA movement, previously delivered a powerful speech in the wake of her husband’s murder — one that resonated deeply with the organization’s millions of followers. Her new leadership role now places her at the helm of a national movement at a time of both mourning and mobilization.
Charlie Kirk was gunned down on September 10 during a stop on his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University. Authorities have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson — a far-left ideologue — with aggravated murder and multiple related offenses.
With Erika Kirk stepping into leadership, Turning Point USA now enters a new era — one that its leaders say will be defined not by retreat, but by resurgence.