A picture of Erika Kirk taken months before her husband’s assassination has drawn attention to her changing appearance.
The mother of two has made several public appearances wearing the so-called “Mar-a-Lago look,” which is popular within Donald Trump’s orbit. It consists of a full face of makeup with heavy eyeshadow, glossy lips, and a blowout.
Ever since she stepped into the role of CEO of her late husband’s organization, Turning Point USA, Erika has faced accusations of trying to advance personal or political ambitions.
An Erika Kirk picture taken in March 2025 has sparked conversation about her appearance and ambitions
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Some have even claimed that the “Mar-a-Lago aesthetic” plays a role in that plan.
In March, six months before a bullet struck Charlie Kirk’s neck while he was giving a talk to students, Erika posed with her husband and the Cardones, real estate investors.
In the photos, Erika appeared to be wearing minimal makeup. She didn’t sport any eyeshadow, fake eyelashes, or lipstick, as she typically does today.
Instead, she only seemed to be wearing mascara, foundation, and filled-in eyebrows.
Surprised by the contrast, some commenters pointed out Erika’s natural appearance in the photos.
“She started wearing more make up after her husband d*ed. Interesting……” one Instagram user remarked.
“She looked very natural in this picture…” another noted.
People compared her current look to Tammy Faye’s and questioned why she didn’t wear makeup in the photo
Image credits: elenacardone/Instagram
“Erika is too pretty to wear all that makeup! I don’t understand why she covers her true beauty with gobs of makeup?! It makes her look like Tammy Faye,” added a third, referencing the eccentric evangelist.
While competing in Miss USA, Erika revealed that she didn’t like “girly” things as a child and described her younger self as a “tomboy.”
“Everyone thought I was a little boy because I wore Jordans and all these different types of athletic clothes,” she said.
However, as she grew up, she began to change and developed an interest in makeup.
“After being such a tomboy and experiencing that my whole life, it was like, ‘Oh I can curl my hair I can put on the mascara.’ I just had a little late blooming period.”
The mother of two recently reflected on her marriage four months after Charlie’s assassination
Image credits: Fox News/YouTube
On Saturday (January 17), Erika posted a video featuring clips of herself and Charlie, along with a reflection on their marriage four months after his passing.
In one clip from a Turning Point event, she could be seen joining her husband on stage wearing makeup similar to the looks she sports now.
“After these past four months I’ve witnessed that what we built at home mattered even more than I realized at the time. We were mission focused, united front, because we were covenant committed first,” she shared with her nearly 7 million Instagram followers.
The post soon became flooded with criticism, with people accusing Erika of exploiting her husband’s passing to advance her career. “RIP Charlie. Erika you sus af,” one person commented.
“Something in my soul tells me something is not right with Erika – I know I’m not the only one who senses this,” echoed another.
Earlier this month, the conservative activist shared a carousel of images which showed her cooking with her children, visiting her grandmother, and greeting rapper Nicki Minaj, whom she described as an “unexpected” friend, at a Turning Point event.
In one of the images, she kissed a massive poster of Charlie and wrote, “What I would give for a real one.”
Erika requested a speedy trial in the case against Tyler Robinson, her husband’s suspected assassin
Image credits: mrserikakirk/Instagram
The 37-year-old also posted a family video of herself, Charlie, and their two young children, explaining that her heart “didn’t cross the threshold with the calendar” and adding, “2025, you’ll always be untouched.”
On Friday (January 16), Erika’s legal team filed for a speedy trial in the case against Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused of assassinating her husband on September 10.
Her attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, accused Robinson’s team of causing “undue” and “unwarranted” delays.
The delay is reportedly due to Robinson’s defense seeking to remove a local prosecutor over an alleged conflict of interest.
His team alleges that a deputy in the county attorney’s office had an adult child who was in the crowd when Charlie was assassinated.
Robinson is scheduled to return to court on February 3.
He is facing multiple charges, including aggravated m*rder. Prosecutors have said they will seek capital punishment if he is convicted.
People were divided over the narrative of Erika Kirk’s changed appearance 
Image credits: TruthTricia
