The widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been thrust into the national spotlight since her husband’s assassination earlier this month. Erika Kirk has spoken publicly about her grief, her faith, and her determination to carry on Charlie’s mission. But now, social media users have uncovered an unexpected—and somewhat bizarre—connection between Erika and President Donald Trump, dating back years before she ever met her husband.
The discovery has set off waves of speculation online, as resurfaced photos from Erika’s beauty pageant days revealed that she once competed in the Miss USA competition, which at the time was owned by Trump himself. For many, the revelation feels like one of those uncanny twists that makes the world appear far smaller than expected.
A Public Figure in Grief
Erika Kirk, formerly Erika Frantzve, has become a central figure in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination on September 10 in Utah. Her husband, founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while attending a campus debate event. The shocking killing drew national attention, sparking mourning from allies and outrage from political opponents.
Just days later, Erika delivered a heartfelt speech at her husband’s memorial service, where she described the moment she saw his body. “His eyes were semi-open, and he had this knowing, Mona Lisa-like half-smile,” she told mourners. “Like he died happy. Like Jesus rescued him. The bullet came, he blinked, and he was in heaven.”
Her words resonated widely, praised for their mixture of raw honesty and deep faith. And as the new CEO of Turning Point USA, she has pledged to carry on Charlie’s work in mobilizing young conservatives and defending what she describes as Christian values.
A Link Nobody Expected
But while Erika has only recently become a household name in American politics, her personal history stretches back to a very different kind of public life: beauty pageants.
It was there that she crossed paths—albeit indirectly—with Donald Trump.
Online investigators were the first to highlight the connection. A user on X (formerly Twitter) posted bikini photos from Erika’s pageant competitions, writing:
“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.”
The post quickly went viral, surprising even longtime followers of Erika and her husband. Many had known her as a Christian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate. Few realized that she had once competed at the national level in a pageant overseen by none other than Trump.
Trump’s Pageant Empire
For decades, Donald Trump was synonymous with the Miss Universe Organization, which included Miss Universe, Miss Teen USA, and Miss USA. Trump purchased the group in 1996 and remained heavily involved until 2015, when he sold his interest after his presidential campaign launch made his role a source of controversy.
During his tenure, Trump was reported to have played an unusually hands-on role. Former contestants and pageant insiders told media outlets that he often insisted on personally selecting finalists or commenting on their appearances, raising questions about fairness.
So when Erika won Miss Arizona USA in late 2011—on her 23rd birthday, no less—she secured a spot to compete in the 2012 Miss USA pageant, which at the time was under Trump’s ownership. That single victory meant Erika had stepped onto a stage where Trump himself was an active figure behind the scenes.
Erika’s Unusual Talent
Erika’s state-level performance was memorable in part because of its unconventional talent showcase. Unlike many contestants who choose singing or dancing, Erika performed a dribbling routine with two basketballs, demonstrating both athletic skill and showmanship.
It was enough to win her the Miss Arizona USA crown and a chance to compete nationally.
Ahead of the national competition, she told AZ Foothills Magazine that her motivation wasn’t about glamour but about making an impact. “What really matters is making a difference, and I want to change the world,” she said. “The bling is just a bonus.”
That sentiment aligned with her charitable efforts at the time, which included her Christian-based nonprofit “Everyday Heroes Like You.” Through the organization, she worked to highlight individuals performing acts of kindness in their communities.
Did Erika and Trump Ever Meet?
The resurfaced connection has led to speculation over whether Erika and Trump ever directly interacted during her pageant years. While there’s no confirmed record of such a meeting, Trump was famously present at Miss USA events, often mingling with contestants and reportedly giving his input on which women should advance.
If Erika was one of the finalists he reviewed, it’s possible that she came under his attention—even if only briefly. At the very least, she competed under a system where Trump was a highly visible presence, making their current political alignment less surprising in hindsight.
An Odd “Double Connection”
Adding to the intrigue, the viral post also claimed that Erika’s father had worked on the construction of Trump Tower decades earlier. While this detail has not been independently verified, it suggests an even stranger overlap between the two families.
If true, it would mean that Erika’s family and Trump’s business empire were linked years before she became a public figure herself, and long before she met Charlie Kirk.
Between her pageant experience under Trump’s ownership and her father’s alleged role in Trump Tower’s construction, the coincidences have left many observers marveling at how small and interconnected certain circles of American public life can be.
From Pageants to Politics
Of course, Erika’s life eventually took a very different turn. After her pageant career, she moved into business and philanthropy, eventually meeting Charlie Kirk and becoming an influential partner in his work.
Her transformation from beauty queen to political leader mirrors a broader theme in American culture, where public figures often move between seemingly unrelated worlds—entertainment, business, and politics.
Now, as the widow of a conservative activist and the leader of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk stands at the center of the political movement her husband built. Yet the resurfaced pageant photos serve as a reminder of her earlier chapter, one that unexpectedly tied her to Trump long before politics brought them together again.
The Internet Reacts
Online reaction to the resurfaced connection has been predictably polarized. Supporters of Trump and Kirk have dismissed the discovery as trivial, arguing that Erika’s pageant past is just one small part of a long and varied career.
Others, however, have latched onto the coincidence, suggesting it underscores the ways in which Trump’s influence has extended into unexpected corners of American life. Some joked about the unusual “talent” she displayed in the pageant, while others debated the significance of her father’s alleged role in Trump Tower’s construction.
For many neutral observers, the takeaway was less about scandal and more about surprise. Few had expected to see Erika Kirk’s name linked to Trump in a context so different from today’s political alliances.
Conclusion: A Small World After All
The revelation that Erika Kirk once competed in a Trump-owned pageant—and may even have family ties to Trump’s real estate empire—adds a curious layer to her public story. At a time when she is already navigating grief, leadership, and national attention, the resurfaced connection serves as an odd reminder of how past experiences can resurface in unexpected ways.
Whether or not Erika and Trump ever meaningfully interacted during her pageant days, the coincidence has sparked widespread fascination. It highlights how intertwined the worlds of entertainment, business, and politics can be, and how people who seem worlds apart can find their stories overlapping.
As one social media user summed it up after the discovery: “It really is a small world.”
James Jenkins is a celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning author whose work has reshaped the way readers think about social justice and human rights in America. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, James grew up in a community that instilled in him both resilience and a strong sense of responsibility toward others. After studying political science and creative writing at Howard University, he worked as a journalist covering civil rights issues before dedicating himself fully to fiction. His novels are known for their sharp, empathetic portraits of marginalized communities and for weaving personal stories with broader political realities. Jenkins’s breakout novel, Shadows of Freedom, won national acclaim for its unflinching look at systemic inequality, while his more recent works explore themes of identity, resilience, and the fight for dignity in the face of oppression. Beyond his novels, James is an active public speaker, lecturing at universities and participating in nonprofit initiatives that support literacy and community empowerment. He believes that storytelling is a way to preserve history and inspire change. When not writing, James enjoys jazz music, mentoring young writers, and traveling with his family to explore cultures and stories around the world.
