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Erika Kirk sparked much backlash on Tuesday after it was announced President Donald Trump placed her in a prestigious military role.
Erika Kirk faces much backlash after President Trump assigns her new role (Image: Getty)
Erika Kirk came under fire after President Donald Trump quietly appointed her to succeed her late husband, Charlie Kirk, ‘s role on the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.
The 37-year-old widow of the conservative activist who died last year was handpicked by Trump, 79, to sit on the 16-person advisory board, much to the disdain of many. On Tuesday (March 10), social media exploded with comments from folks who felt that Erika was unqualified to handle such a major position. The Board of Visitors is responsible for determining the academy’s curriculum and instruction, recommending the line of disciplinary action, and preparing a semiannual report.
After it was announced on Tuesday that the POTUS had moved Erika into the position previously held by Charlie, whom Trump selected to serve on the board in March 2025 before his death, several expressed outrage on X (formerly Twitter). It must be noted that neither Charlie nor Erika has any military experience.
“I am so DONE. Appointing Erika Kirk to the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors has to be one of the most foolish decisions ever made, right up there with dragging us deeper into war,” one shared on the social media platform.
“Seriously, what is going on with Trump? At this point you can’t help but ask if he’s compromised, because that’s exactly how it looks from the outside. And to everyone who voted for him—aren’t you angry by now? It honestly feels like our country is heading straight into chaos, all the way into help,” the commenter continued.
Erika’s major critic Candace Owens surprisingly defended her amid the backlash (Image: Getty)
While another questioned, “Why is Erika Kirk advising military professionals…” and someone else shared, “This Erika Kirk appointment to this Air Force Academy Board happened quietly over the weekend, with no formal announcement. I’m sorry, but being the widow of an influential husband does not qualify you to advise the Defense Department about Air Force.”
Amid the backlash against Erika for seemingly being undeserving of her new military position, Candace Owens, a former Fox News contributor, has surprisingly stepped in to defend her.
Although Candace has already launched a crusade against the wife of the deceased Turning Point USA founder, who happened to be her close friend, with the “The Bride of Charlie” series aimed at taking down Erika, she exercised empathy on Tuesday.
“[Erika is] a grieving widow so we have no right to ask what the hell qualifies her to a position advising our Defense Department. This is all perfectly normal and only people who are DEMONIC would question this appointment,” she wrote on X following many upset over Erika’s appointment.
Even with Candace’s message, many continued to show their anger with the appointment. This comes as Trump and his administration steadily face criticism for putting the United States in a war with Iran.
Late last month, the Trump administration sparked a war with the Middle Eastern country after the U.S. teamed up with Israel to strike Iran, which in turn hit back.