Camilla Jessen
The conservative commentator has released a series questioning the background of Erika Kirk, who took over Turning Point USA after her husband’s death.
Online debate surrounding Erika Kirk has intensified in the months following the assassination of her husband, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Now commentator Candace Owens has added to the controversy with a series of public claims.
Owens, who previously worked as communications director for Turning Point USA until 2019, has released a docuseries titled “Bride of Charlie”.
In it, she questions Erika Kirk’s public statements and motivations after assuming leadership of the organization.
The two women were once connected through Owens’ work with Charlie Kirk, though tensions have since surfaced publicly.
Claims in series
In the first episode, “A Wrinkle in Time”, Owens alleges that Erika Kirk misrepresented aspects of her upbringing.
She disputes Kirk’s statements that she was raised by a single mother following her parents’ divorce in 1998, including comments Kirk made in a September 2025 profile in The New York Times.
“The only problem is that it’s just not true,” Owens said. “Erika was not raised by a single mother, like, at all. For entire years of her childhood, Kent was actually a stay-at-home dad. So almost the exact opposite thing was true at one point.”
Owens referenced a clip from The Charlie Kirk Show in which Erika spoke about her father being a stay-at-home parent during part of her childhood, describing that period as “really special.”
Family allegations
Owens also said she had spoken with former classmates and former partners of Erika Kirk who she claimed were confused by her public portrayal of her family life.
In the series, Owens displayed what she described as a family tree and suggested that Erika’s aunt, Karla, could be her biological mother.
No evidence supporting that allegation has been independently verified.
Erika Kirk has not publicly responded to the claims made in the docuseries.
Leadership role
Erika Kirk became CEO of Turning Point USA after her husband was killed on September 10. Since then, she has drawn significant public attention.
Owens and Kirk met in December 2025 in what both described on social media as a “productive” conversation aimed at easing tensions.
However, Owens later criticised remarks she said Kirk made about her husband’s memorial and the organization’s merchandise sales.
“That’s moving pretty quickly to the acceptance phase now,” Owens said. “We know everybody grieves differently. In my imagination, I just thought she would be more upset.”
Sources: Public statements by Candace Owens, The New York Times, Newsner
