The recent public interaction between President Donald Trump and Erika Kirk at Charlie Kirk’s memorial has sparked widespread interest in their shared history. While the two were seen embracing on stage, many on social media were surprised to learn their connection goes beyond recent political events.
Erika Kirk, before becoming CEO of Turning Point USA following her husband Charlie’s tragic assassination, was a beauty pageant contestant. In 2012, she competed in Miss USA, which was part of the Miss Universe Organization co-owned by Donald Trump until 2015. Photos from her pageant days, including bikini shots, resurfaced online, revealing a side of Erika not widely known.
Her talent in the pageant involved dribbling two basketballs simultaneously—a unique act that garnered attention at the Miss Arizona USA contest, which she won on her 23rd birthday. Social media users noted that her involvement in the pageants and later career in modeling and casting intersected with Trump’s ownership of the pageants.
In 2018, Erika met Charlie Kirk during a job interview in New York City, beginning a romance that led to marriage and a family. A touching clip shared posthumously showed Charlie recounting their love story with their young daughter.
At the memorial, Trump praised Charlie as a giant figure and publicly praised Erika, expressing confidence that Turning Point USA would thrive under her leadership. The duo’s long-standing ties symbolize a complex fusion of personal history, politics, and public prominence.
