Candace Owens Accuses Erika Kirk of Doing a 'Christian Grift' in a Scathing Reaction to Vanity Fair

Candace Owens has accused Erika Kirk of a 'Christian grift' after Vanity Fair profiled Charlie Kirk's widow and her two children.

Owens renewed her criticism of Erika after Vanity Fair published its profile of the Turning Point USA CEO on 29 September. Owens questioned Erika's priorities and suitability to lead the organisation, and accused her of a 'Christian grift'.

The latest dispute follows an older prediction from Owens that has since resurfaced online. In July, she predicted that Erika would appear in a Vanity Fair spread with her children and urged followers to save the post because she believed it would 'age well'.

Candace Owens' Erika Kirk Prediction Resurfaces

For context, Owens predicted this after an X user criticised Erika and suggested she should be kept away from the media.

Owens took the opposite view. She predicted that Erika and her children would appear in a Vanity Fair spread that, in her view, would 'pull at our heartstrings'.

'Instead, they are going to put her in a spread for Vanity Fair with her children to pull at our heartstrings. Save this tweet. It will age well,' Owens wrote.

The Vanity Fair profile was later published with photographs of Erika and her two children, bringing renewed attention to Owens' earlier post.

The profile, titled The Widow's Peak, examined Erika's life following Charlie's death and her role at Turning Point USA. It was written by Clara Molot, with photography by Alessandra Sanguinetti.

Why Erika Kirk's Faith Became a Target

During the Vanity Fair interview, Erika discussed how her faith influences her decisions. She said she now considers whether her choices will bring her 'closer to heaven'.

Erika also described herself as 'fixated and paranoid' about anything that could prevent her from being reunited with Charlie.

'I am so fixated and paranoid of having anything keeping me from going to heaven to be reunited with my husband,' Erika said.

Owens later shared screenshots from the interview and challenged Erika's priorities.

Owens claimed that Turning Point USA had declined to participate in an independent review of security surrounding Charlie's shooting at Utah Valley University, while Erika agreed to be interviewed and photographed by Vanity Fair.

Owens also questioned Erika's suitability to lead Turning Point USA and criticised her religious presentation, accusing her of a 'Christian grift'.

The characterisation is Owens' allegation and has not been independently established.

An independent review commissioned by Utah Valley University was released on 25 September and examined security arrangements surrounding the event where Charlie was killed. The review documented repeated attempts to contact several people connected to TPUSA, including security personnel, who did not respond.

What Did Erika Kirk's Mother-In-Law Say?

The Vanity Fair profile also addressed rumours surrounding Erika and Charlie's parents.

Charlie's mother, Kathryn Kirk, spoke to Vanity Fair after largely keeping her distance from the media following her son's death. She said rumours about an alleged conflict between Erika and her in-laws were untrue.

Kathryn said she and her husband supported Erika and had become closer to her through their shared grief.

'We were 100 percent behind her. Erika and I have, through the trauma, grown closer. We knew Charlie in a way that no one else did. We can look at each other's eyes, and we know the depth of our despair,' Kathryn said.

Kathryn rejected rumours of a conflict between Erika and her in-laws.

Kathryn also told Vanity Fair that reporters began calling her within minutes of Charlie being shot. She said her distance from the media had contributed to rumours and conspiracy theories surrounding the family.

Will Erika Kirk Respond to Candace Owens?

Owens' latest comments come as Erika continues to lead Turning Point USA while facing criticism over her decisions and public statements.

The Vanity Fair profile also focuses on Erika's faith, family and role within the organisation founded by her late husband. The magazine identifies her as the organisation's CEO following Charlie's death.

Erika Kirk and her team had not responded to Owens' recent posts when the report was published.

Erika's comments to Vanity Fair focused on her faith, family and life following Charlie's death, while Owens used the profile to renew her criticism of Erika and Turning Point USA.