Erika Kirk was mocked online after she had an epic Freudian slip while honoring Utah Valley University student Caleb Chilcutt with the Charlie Kirk Courage Award at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest over the weekend and misspoke while comparing Chilcutt to her late husband, far-right activist Charlie Kirk.
The late Kirk, who was assassinated at UVU in September, was a virulent white supremacist who aligned with the Christian right and advocated for Christian nationalism, promoting a nativist, fundamentalist Christian view of society. All the while, he openly attacked LGBTQ+ rights, backed the white genocide conspiracy theory, and was a major figure in the MAGA movement.
Erika Kirk got tongue-tied while speaking onstage to present Chilcutt with the award, saying:
“Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband at UVU, Caleb has persisted with the same grift.”
"Grift"? Oh, dear. Erika Kirk caught her own error and said “gift” before finally settling on the word “grit.”
She added, turning to Chilcutt:
“It has been a long day! Trust me, you’re not a grifter, honey. It’s all good.”
You can watch what happened in the video below.
The late Charlie Kirk definitely knew a thing or two about grifting considering how successful he was at generating support for President Donald Trump among younger voters and lashing out at those Republicans he did not perceive as being "Trumpian" enough.
All in all, as he became perhaps the most influential figure in the young MAGA movement, he made millions on books and speaking appearances—all of which helped catapult President Donald Trump to the White House despite his history of criminal activity and demonstrated unfitness for office.
Considering what Erika Kirk said, many felt she was simply saying out loud what we already know to be true—and she was swiftly mocked for it.
You may want to take a second to think before you speak next time, Erika. Otherwise you might keep dropping accidental truth bombs.
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