"We have a country to save."
Erika Kirk Appointed Turning Point USA CEO Following Husband's Murder
In a move announced today, Erika Kirk, the widow of the late co-founder Charlie Kirk, has been named the new Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board for Turning Point USA.
Turning Point USA has officially announced that Erika Kirk, the widow of its late CEO and co-founder Charlie Kirk, will assume leadership of the organization. The conservative nonprofit, headquartered in Phoenix, stated that Charlie had previously indicated he wanted his wife to lead the organization if anything were to happen to him. The appointment comes just a week after the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk, who was 31 years old.
The organization's board of directors, including Doug De Groote, Mike Miller, Tom Sodeika, and David Engelhardt, released a joint statement addressing the leadership transition. "It was the honor of our lives to serve as board members at Charlie’s side," the statement read. "Charlie prepared all of us for a moment like this one. He worked tirelessly to ensure Turning Point USA was built to survive even the greatest tests."
The statement went on to express confidence in the new CEO. "It is our great pride to announce Erika Kirk as the new CEO and Chair of the Board for Turning Point USA," they said. The board emphasized a collective commitment to carrying on Charlie Kirk's vision of fostering a prosperous country and bringing people closer to God, echoing his signature phrase, "We have a country to save."
In the wake of his death, supporters have created a growing memorial outside the group's headquarters near 48th Street and Baseline Road, leaving flowers, flags, and notes in his honour. A public memorial service is scheduled to be held this Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale to celebrate his life and legacy. The organization's statement concluded by promising not to "surrender or kneel before evil" and to make Kirk's work "more powerful and enduring than ever before."