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Erika Kirk mouthed three words while being recognized by Donald Trump during State of the Union speech
Erika Kirk was spotted mouthing three words while being recognized by President Donald Trump during his State of the Union speech.
On Tuesday (February 24), the 79-year-old president delivered what became the longest State of the Union address in history.
Speaking before a divided Congress and tens of millions of American viewers, he praised fellow Republicans, defended his policies, and outlined his future agenda at a time when his presidency faces major pressure.
Erika Kirk’s Emotional Three-Word Moment
Erika, the widow of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, who was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University back in September 2025, attended the address as a guest of the president.
As Trump honored his late friend, cameras captured the mom-of-two visibly emotional, holding back tears.
The president told the chamber: "I'm very proud to say that during my time in office, both the first four years and in particular this last year, there has been a tremendous renewal in religion, faith, Christianity, and belief in God...And a big part of that had to do with my great friend Charlie Kirk."
He continued: "So last year, Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin and martyred for his beliefs. His wonderful wife Erika is with us tonight."
As the audience rose for a standing ovation, social media users noticed Erika mouthing three words.
"Seeing Erika Kirk mouth 'I miss you' is heartbreaking," one user wrote.
Another added: "I'm not a lip reader, but it appears that Erika says: 'I miss you.' after standing up. You can see her struggling to keep her composure when hearing Charlie's name."
The 37-year-old began to tear up and blot her face as the president addressed her directly, telling the grieving mom-of-two: “You’ve been through a lot.”
Trump then called for unity in her husband’s honor, saying that in memory of Kirk 'we must all come together to reaffirm that we are one nation under God...and we must totally reject political violence of any kind.'
Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, is currently facing a death penalty case in connection with the death.
Democrats Protest As One Is Escorted Out
While the tribute was emotional, the atmosphere inside the chamber remained tense.
The political divide was impossible to ignore as many democrats skipped the address altogether, choosing instead to attend rallies in Washington opposing Trump and his agenda.
Others, such as Congressman Al Green of Texas, protested from within and were escorted out for the second year in a row.
As Trump entered the chamber, he held up a white sign emblazoned with black lettering reading: "Black people aren't apes!"
The sign appeared to reference a racist video posted and later deleted by Trump on social media, showing former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
In addition to this, Reps Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib repeatedly shouted at Trump during his remarks.
When the president referenced immigration and alleged fraud in Minnesota's Somali-American communities, Omar was heard yelling: "That's a lie, you're a liar," as the president continued speaking over her, per BBC News.
At another point, he addressed Democrats directly, saying: "These people are crazy. I'm telling you. They're crazy,"