Erika Kirk cancels her participation in a TPUSA event due to threats to her safety

Erika Kirk canceled her appearance at a Turning Point USA event due to "very serious" threats against her safety. The widow of activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September 2025, was to headline an event near the University of Georgia along with Vice President JD Vance. However, his appearance had to be preemptively canceled.

Kirk's place was taken by Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for Turning Point USA, charged with explaining what happened to attendees: "I’m going to address it right at the front, Mr. Vice President. I’m on stage here instead of our friend Erika Kirk because unfortunately she has received some very serious threats in her direction. It’s a terrible reflection on the state of reality and the state of the country." 

Kirk later explained the decision on her X account. "I was looking forward to attending tonight's event at the University of Georgia with our vice president, JD Vance, but after everything our family has been through, I take the recommendations of my security team very seriously," she wrote.

During his appearance at the event, the vice president defended Kirk from attacks received from some conservative activists, for example, Candace Owens. "Everybody is attacking her over everything, and they’re lying about her, and it’s one of the most disgraceful things that I’ve ever seen in public life. The people telling you that Erika wasn’t grieving her husband are full of s–t," expressed Vance, who was a personal friend of Charlie Kirk.

"If you’re going after Erika Kirk and not the people who are trying to destroy the United States of America, you’re part of the problem, not part of the solution," he continued.

The event took place in Athens, Georgia, specifically at the Akins Ford Arena. There, Vance also spoke about his upcoming book, 'Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,' which explores his conversion to Catholicism. The vice president anticipated that the book would trace his journey from an "angry atheist" to a believer.

"Maybe the fact that the Christian faith is right about morality and about virtue means it's also right about the fact that Jesus Christ was the Son of God," he added.