In a provocative new docuseries, conservative commentator Candace Owens has accused Erika Kirk, the widow of the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, of fabricating key details about her upbringing, including claims of being raised by a single mother. The allegations, aired in the first episode of Owens' multi-part series titled Bride of Charlie on Wednesday, February 25, have ignited a firestorm within conservative circles, with supporters of Kirk rushing to her defense and prominent figures like Ben Shapiro denouncing Owens' tactics.
Owens, 36, launched the series with a segment called "A Wrinkle In Time," where she delved into what she described as inconsistencies in Erika Kirk's public narrative. Erika, 37, assumed the role of CEO at Turning Point USA following the tragic shooting death of her husband, Charlie Kirk, on September 10, 2025. Kirk, who was 31 at the time, was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at an outdoor event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The incident sent shockwaves through the conservative activist community, as Kirk had been a rising star in right-wing politics, founding the influential youth organization Turning Point USA in 2012.
According to Owens, Erika Kirk has portrayed herself as the product of a single-mother household to cultivate an image of resilience and independence. In a September 2025 profile in The New York Times, Erika described her mother, Lori Frantzve, as her "blueprint" and noted that being a single mother to her and Charlie's two young children was "actually the least traumatizing" part of her new reality, given her own experience growing up after her parents' divorce. Erika emphasized how her mother's entrepreneurial spirit and Christian values shaped her path to becoming a CEO and advocate for traditional family roles.
Owens challenged this account head-on, alleging that Erika's father, Kent Frantzve, remained deeply involved in her life despite the divorce. "The only problem is that it’s just not true. Erika was not raised by a single mother, like, at all," Owens stated in the episode. She claimed that Kent was "always" present, pointing to periods when he served as a stay-at-home dad during Erika's early childhood. To support her assertion, Owens played a clip from an episode of "The Charlie Kirk Show" podcast, where Erika herself recounted fond memories of her father taking on that role when she was around 4 years old.
"And I gotta say it was really sweet. And really special. I was 4," Erika said in the clip, defending the value of stay-at-home dads during a discussion with her late husband.
Owens further detailed that Erika's parents divorced in 1998, when Erika was 10 years old, but insisted Kent's involvement extended into her teenage years. She cited private conversations with Erika's former classmates and past boyfriends, who reportedly described Kent as a consistent figure in her life. Additionally, Owens highlighted the presence of Erika's stepfather, Larry Ginta, whom she said became a "fixture" in the family dynamic even before the divorce was finalized, complicating the single-mother narrative.
The docuseries builds on a viral tweet from investigative journalist Elizabeth Lane, who suggested Erika's public image might not be authentic based on "consistent, observable patterns of behavior." Owens acknowledged this as an opinion but used it as a springboard to explore broader conspiracy theories surrounding Erika. "What alarms me about Erika isn’t so much the fact that she lies, which we will prove to you over and over again, but it’s also the fact that I don’t know that she’s aware that she’s lying," Owens alleged, framing Erika not merely as a grieving widow but as someone potentially curating a deceptive story for personal gain.
Erika's rise to prominence has been meteoric since Charlie's death. Just days after the shooting, she stepped into the CEO position at Turning Point USA, an organization known for its grassroots conservative activism on college campuses. Her leadership was on full display on February 24, when she received a standing ovation at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., underscoring her status as a symbol of continuity and strength in the movement Charlie helped build.
The backlash against Owens' series was swift and sharp. On the February 24 episode of "The Ben Shapiro Show" podcast, the conservative commentator and Daily Wire founder labeled Owens as "a conspiratorial, evil person" for what he saw as an attempt to smear Erika during her time of mourning. Shapiro, a longtime ally of Charlie Kirk, argued that Owens was exploiting the tragedy for attention, a sentiment echoed by numerous online supporters who flooded social media with defenses of Erika.
Owens and Charlie Kirk shared a close friendship in the years leading up to his death, collaborating on various conservative initiatives and appearing together at events. However, tensions appear to have simmered beneath the surface, with Owens' series marking a public rupture. Related reports have explored the evolution of their relationship, noting how Owens' independent media ventures sometimes diverged from Turning Point USA's orbit.
Critics of Erika have also pointed to her handling of grief, with some online commentary questioning the pace of her return to public life. In response to earlier criticisms, Erika addressed her grieving process in interviews, emphasizing her commitment to carrying on Charlie's legacy. "Being a single mom and CEO isn't easy, but it's what he would have wanted," she reportedly said in one such discussion, though Us Weekly's attempts to reach Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA for comment on Owens' latest claims have gone unanswered as of publication.
The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of internal divisions within the American conservative movement. Turning Point USA, under Charlie's stewardship, grew into a powerhouse with chapters on over 2,500 campuses and annual events drawing thousands, including the high-profile Turning Point USA Summit. Erika's stewardship has focused on expanding the organization's reach, particularly in the wake of the 2024 election cycle, where conservative youth mobilization played a key role in Trump's return to the White House.
Owens, meanwhile, has carved out her own niche as a podcaster and author, with her Daily Wire show attracting millions of listeners. Her decision to produce Bride of Charlie signals a willingness to confront former allies, potentially alienating parts of her audience while appealing to those skeptical of institutional conservatism. The series promises more revelations in upcoming episodes, teasing deeper dives into Erika's background and motives.
As the dust settles from the initial episode, the feud highlights the fragile alliances in right-wing media. Erika's supporters argue that Owens' attacks are not only baseless but harmful to the unity needed to advance conservative causes. "She's using her platform to smear a widow who's just trying to honor her husband's memory," one anonymous Turning Point insider told reporters, though such claims remain unverified.
Looking ahead, the implications for Turning Point USA could be significant. With Erika at the helm, the organization faces upcoming events like its annual summit in Phoenix, Arizona, where her leadership will be tested amid the scrutiny. Owens' docuseries, distributed through her independent channels, may draw a dedicated audience but risks further fracturing relationships in a movement already grappling with post-election dynamics.
Whether these allegations gain traction or fade into the noise of partisan infighting remains to be seen. For now, Erika Kirk continues to navigate her dual roles as a mother and CEO, while Owens presses forward with her investigative narrative, leaving observers to weigh the credibility of competing accounts from those who knew the Kirks best.