'Very Odd': Erika Kirk's Former Flame Cabot Phillips Takes Over Late Husband's TPUSA Leadership Role

Social media users are questioning the appropriateness of Turning Point USA's latest leadership move after revelations emerged that Cabot Phillips, now leading How To Lead Like Charlie conferences, previously dated Charlie Kirk's widow Erika Kirk.

The discovery, brought to light by a viral TikTok video, has sparked widespread debate about the organisation's decision-making and has also exposed apparent inconsistencies in Erika's public statements about her relationship history. Critics are questioning the optics of having a widow's former boyfriend lead tribute events to her late husband.

Former Couple's Social Media Trail Resurfaces

Evidence of the relationship between Erika and Phillips spans multiple social media posts from 2017. In September of that year, Phillips shared a photo captioned, 'Yes, that couple who gets painting lessons together'. Just weeks later, Charlie Kirk himself posted a photo with Phillips, writing, 'Yes, I bet Cabot one on one. not.sick.of.winning' on 24 September 2017.

The interactions continued into November 2017, when Erika wrote a birthday message to Phillips: 'Since this is where it all started, I only found it appropriate to wish you a very happy bday cash cab your catfish'. Comments on their shared posts from that period repeatedly referred to them as a couple, with one user writing 'gorgeous couple' in June 2017 and another commenting 'beautiful photo' in October 2017. Another commenter directly replied to both Erika and Phillips calling them 'love birds'.

Timeline Contradictions Emerge

The revelations become more problematic when compared against Erika's own public statements. During a CBS News town hall titled 'A Town Hall With Erika Kirk', she claimed she 'did not date while living in New York for five years before she met Charlie in 2018'. According to social media evidence, however, she was clearly in a relationship with Phillips for most of 2017, directly contradicting her assertion.

Stephwithdadeets pointed out this discrepancy in her TikTok video, stating, 'Erika's math is not mathing when she talks about her relationship'. The contradiction has led to questions about the accuracy of other public statements made by Erika regarding her personal history and timeline with Charlie Kirk.

TPUSA's Controversial Leadership Choice

Phillips now leads 'How To Lead Like Charlie' conferences and university events for Turning Point USA, effectively stepping into a role that honours and continues the late Charlie Kirk's legacy. Critics argue the organisation had numerous other qualified candidates who lacked the complicated personal history with the Kirk family.

'You could have picked anyone else', Stephwithdadeets remarked in her video, echoing sentiments shared across social media platforms. The optics of having a widow's former boyfriend lead tribute events to her late husband has struck many observers as inappropriate, regardless of professional qualifications. The situation becomes even more peculiar given that Charlie Kirk himself had photographed with Phillips during the same period when Phillips was dating Erika, suggesting all three were within the same social and professional circles.

Why This Matters

The controversy surrounding Phillips' new role at TPUSA highlights broader questions about transparency and appropriateness within political organisations. When personal relationships intersect with professional advancement, particularly in organisations built around individual personalities like Charlie Kirk's TPUSA, public scrutiny intensifies.

The conflicting timeline statements from Erika Kirk further complicate public perception, raising questions about credibility that extend beyond mere personal history. As TPUSA continues its mission on college campuses nationwide, the organisation's leadership choices and the personal connections between key figures will likely remain under close examination by both supporters and critics alike.