In an official announcement yesterday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, would be one of the special guests of President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address.
Leavitt posted on X:
In the State of the Union address delivered by President Donald Trump, he dedicated an emotional moment to Erika Kirk, widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was present as one of his special guests in the Capitol gallery.
During a section on the “tremendous rebirth of faith, Christianity, and belief in God” in the United States following Kirk’s assassination, the president described him as someone who “was violated by an assassin and truly martyred for his beliefs.”
Trump honors Erika Kirk in his State of the Union address: "In Charlie’s memory, we must all come together to reaffirm that America is one nation under God—and we must totally reject political violence of any kind."pic.twitter.com/nlljoPDHJU
— Am Yisrael Chai 🇮🇱 (@kyg_best) February 25, 2026
Trump addressed her directly, saying: “His wonderful wife, Erika, is with us tonight.” Erika Kirk received a standing ovation from the Republicans in the chamber, with some Democrats joining partially, and several Republican lawmakers broke into chants of “Charlie” in her honor.
President Trump honors the great Charlie Kirk and took a moment to recognize Erika Kirk,
— EMBER 🇺🇸 (@upliftandlift) February 25, 2026
"I miss you..." –@MrsErikaKirk
Oh Erika, God bless you and your family! pic.twitter.com/r3Pdud05fp
The president emphasized that, in Charlie’s memory, “we must all come together to reaffirm that America is a nation under God, and we must totally reject political violence of any kind.”
This segment fulfilled what had previously been announced by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who had confirmed that Erika’s presence would serve to urge Congress to “firmly reject political violence against our fellow citizens.”
Erika Kirk, who assumed the role of CEO and president of Turning Point USA following her husband’s death in September 2025, did not have an active role in the speech (such as speaking or intervening), but her attendance was symbolic and highlighted by Trump to illustrate the rejection of political violence that included the assassination attempt against him in Butler in 2024 and the murder of Charlie.
Her appearance generated an emotional impact on the conservative wing, reinforcing the message of unity under God and against violence.
