Candace Owens publicly questioned the choice to nominate Erika Kirk as Turning Level USA’s CEO following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Her remarks got here throughout a dialog with Russell Model, who uploaded a video clip of their dialogue on December 9, 2025.
Model captioned the video with a line spoken by Owens:
“I feel they made a managerial error.”
On this video clip, Candace Owens started by analyzing Erika Kirk’s scenario and frame of mind, explaining that entering into her husband Charlie Kirk’s place instantly after his loss of life would naturally place her in an amazing and horrifying place.
She recommended that Erika Kirk was both going through “the best evil that ever occurred” or was merely “terrified” to out of the blue discover herself in a “place” the place she’s main the group.
Candace Owens additional emphasised that selling her immediately created an atmosphere the place Erika Kirk must reply troublesome public questions whereas nonetheless grieving for Charlie Kirk.
“And I feel the error they made, and I’ve stated on my podcast, she ought to by no means turn out to be the CEO and chairman in a single day. As a result of now when folks have questions, you bought to reply them, proper?” Candace Owens stated.
Owens continued by stressing that Erika Kirk’s fast ascent to management blurred the road between grieving widow and organizational head.
“You are not only a grieving widow, however you in a short time determined that you just had been outfitted to be Charlie. Properly, guess what? That is going to be a trial by fireplace. Charlie needed to undergo it. It is painful. And so persons are feeling like, hey, it is not truthful to ask her any questions as a result of her husband simply died,” Owens added.
The podcaster additionally remarked how Erika changing her husband, Charlie Kirk, instantly after his assassination, was uncommon. She famous that the majority corporations would have adopted a distinct course of and carried out a distinct management construction, with “interim CEO.”
In accordance with Candace Owens, what “any firm would do” was to pause operations “for a few months.” She then elaborated on why she considered Erika Kirk’s choice as a “managerial error,” explaining that appointing a brief CEO would have created house for the crew to correctly “grieve” and acknowledge that TPUSA was getting into a brand new chapter.
Owens emphasised that the group wanted time to “determine issues out with out the pinnacle of the corporate,” suggesting {that a} extra gradual and measured transition would have in the end served everybody higher.
Candace Owens questions Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk’s function within the TPUSA livestream controversy
The aforementioned occasion was not the primary time Candace Owens publicly referenced Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, or weighed in on her management function.
In the course of the December 6 episode of the Candace podcast and an accompanying publish on X, the commentator instantly criticized Charlie Kirk’s widow in reference to a dispute over scheduling a livestream supposed to handle Owens’ allegations about Charlie Kirk’s killing.
The confrontation adopted an earlier trade involving TPUSA member Blake Neff, who appeared on The Charlie Kirk Present and invited Owens to take part in a livestream the place the group’s management deliberate to formally reply to her claims.
Owens initially agreed, however later withdrew after TPUSA allegedly altered the situations, demanding she seem in individual in Phoenix at a time that conflicted along with her personal recording schedule. Candace Owens maintains she was misled about each the timing and the deliberate format.
In her December 6 publish, Owens questioned Erika Kirk’s involvement, asking:
“TPUSA says it was Erika Kirk who directed them to host a livestream. Did she approve of the letter Blake learn?”
On her podcast, linked to this publish (shared on December 6), Owens additionally clarified that regardless of pulling out of the unique livestream, she nonetheless needed either side to take part in an open and substantive dialogue.
She stated she was searching for another venue that may permit for significant debate and argued that Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk’s participation would essentially change the tone of the dialog.
“We are able to nonetheless make this work. And I want to make this work, and I’d particularly prefer to make this work in case you are saying or implying that Erica Kirk goes to be there, as a result of the truth is that may be a recreation changer,” she stated.
Owens additionally contrasted the potential influence of Erika Kirk’s presence with the dynamic she perceived from Blake Neff.
“I feel it could be very highly effective to have her there to characterize the viewpoints in a manner that they’re perhaps not being shared by Blake Neff, who’s extremely unlikable and speaks right down to folks, and I don’t know why he does that,” Owens added.
Owens went on to counsel that she would possibly rethink her participation if TPUSA agreed to an in-person, clear format wherein she could be free to “ask each query beneath the solar.”
She additional framed the subsequent transfer as belonging solely to the group, insisting that TPUSA had the facility to resolve the deadlock if it selected to take action.
“I wish to make this occur. I nonetheless assume you guys can open up for a reside stream. That appears ridiculous as nicely. Let’s make this work for the folks,” she stated.
Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, whereas talking at Utah Valley College in Orem, Utah. His loss of life despatched shockwaves via conservative circles, prompting a swift management shift inside TPUSA.
By September 18, the group introduced that Erika, the widow of Charlie Kirk, would step in as its new CEO.
In the meantime, Candace Owens has continued specializing in her Candace podcast, the place she has been weighing in on a mixture of controversial subjects and the extra uncommon hypothesis surrounding Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Edited by Shayari Roy
