President Donald Trump and Erika Kirk are more connected than many realized, and the resurfacing of old pageant photos has surprised many people on social media.
The pair shared the stage at the massive memorial service for Erika's late husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot on September 10 during a campus tour stop at Utah Valley University.
At the event on September 21, the 36-year-old broke down in tears as she spoke about her marriage and her new role as CEO of Turning Point USA, while the president praised Kirk as a “giant of his generation".
The two were later photographed embracing on stage, but images from Erika’s past soon had people connecting dots.
A surprising connection resurfaces
Photos from Erika's days as a beauty queen show her competing in the 2012 Miss USA pageant, which was then owned by the 79-year-old through the Miss Universe Organization.
One widely shared image shows the mom-of-two in a bikini, posing in front of a backdrop emblazoned with “Trump International Hotel Las Vegas.”
One user on X wrote: “Oooooh. Erika Kirk competed in the 2012 Miss USA competition, which was owned by Trump. Her talent portion for the Miss Arizona contest was performing a dribbling exhibition with two balls. Her website still lists contact info to book her for modeling and acting.”
Erika, then known as Erika Lane Frantzve, won Miss Arizona USA on her 23rd birthday in 2011, which secured her a place at Miss USA.
She said at the time: “What really matters is making a difference, and I want to change the world. The bling is just a bonus.”
Erika's marriage to Charlie Kirk
Erika first met her husband in 2018 during what began as a job interview.
In a video she shared after his death, Kirk described their “love story” to their young daughter: “We’re here at Bill’s Burgers in New York City."
"Right near this very table was the first time Dada met Mama. It started as a job interview, and I was asking all these questions... Then I realised Mama was beautiful and smart and elegant and Christlike, and so I said, ‘Forget this job interview. I want to date you,’” he added.
The couple tied the knot, welcomed children, and worked side by side at Turning Point USA until Kirk's murder.
Erika’s chilling warning before tragedy
In an interview with The New York Times, Erika revealed she had warned her husband about the threats he faced.
On the night before his death, the couple prayed with a close friend who was a faith leader, and Erika urged Kirk to wear a bulletproof vest.
She recalled that her husband refused, saying “Not yet,” and admitting she feared he had “surrendered to the prospect” of violence.
Erika was meant to accompany Kirk to Utah, but stayed behind to care for her mother in Phoenix. She shared that his last words to her before the trip were: “Home needs you.”
The right-wing influencer's funeral service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew more than 60,000 mourners, including the president, who posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“The answer to hate is not hate,” Kirk's widow told the crowd. “The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love - love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”
Trump called Erika “incredible and beautiful,” and predicted that Turning Point USA would grow under her leadership.
Despite her loss, Erika has publicly forgiven the accused killer, Tyler Robinson, 22, who faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder and obstruction of justice.
“That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it is what Charlie would do,” she said at the service.