AceShowbiz - Candace Owens has accused Erika Kirk and her mother, Lori Frantzve, of pursuing fame through social climbing, according to statements made on the second episode of Owens’ docuseries Bride of Charlie, which was released on Thursday, February 26.

Owens, a conservative podcast host, claimed that Frantzve has long influenced Erika’s ambitions, encouraging her to strategically engage with influential people even before Erika’s marriage to the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk tragically died after being shot at a Utah university campus in September 2025.

“What people have said to me is she is the person who has always been the person in Erika's ear,” Owens stated in the episode. “She's this type A person that tells her who to go after in each and every room. She knows who those people are, who Erika should instantly transform into, what she has to say.”

Owens further shared that an ex-partner of Erika’s had warned her about the extent of Erika and her mother’s ambitions. “One of [Erika's] exes was very clear. He said to me, ‘I was warned by another person in the beauty pageant world that that girl will do anything to get to the top, and her mother will do anything to help her get to the top,’” Owens revealed.

According to Owens, the perception that Frantzve has been a driving force behind Erika’s social climbing has been widespread. However, Owens emphasized that Erika herself was an active participant in seeking fame. “She wanted Erika to be famous. But let's not remove Erika from this. Erika desperately wanted to be famous. No one can deny that,” she added.

Owens also touched on Erika’s past relationships, noting that they often involved partners with high-profile careers. She referenced Erika’s relationship with JT Massey, with whom Erika auditioned for the reality competition The Amazing Race in 2014.

“Tomorrow when we now begin in earnest to go through Erika's life, you will see she's never dated a normal guy. She's never dated a guy with a 9-to-5 job,” Owens explained. “You can see, like, she was going to be with somebody. She was, 'OK, you're going to the NFL. You're going to the MLB. We can be on The Amazing Race together.’”

Erika Kirk assumed the role of CEO at Turning Point USA after her husband Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University. Charlie Kirk was 31 years old when he was shot in the neck during an outdoor speaking event. A 22-year-old man named Tyler Robinson was arrested in connection with the shooting, though he has not entered a plea.

Owens, who previously served as the communications director for Turning Point USA, has become increasingly critical of Erika since Charlie’s death. In January, Owens shared leaked audio reportedly recorded two weeks after Charlie’s passing that suggested Erika might be moving on too quickly from the tragedy. Owens commented, “That's moving pretty quickly to the acceptance phase now. We know everybody grieves differently. In my imagination, I just thought she would be more upset.”

In addition to allegations about fame-seeking, Owens has questioned details of Erika’s background in the docuseries Bride of Charlie. The series explores Erika’s upbringing and other personal matters, with Owens asserting she will provide evidence of dishonesty on Erika’s part.

Meanwhile, Erika marked her 37th birthday on February 20 by posting a heartfelt tribute to her late husband on Instagram. She reflected on the life and love they shared, including their children. “I always loved celebrating you, and maybe because it was a reflection of how beautifully you always celebrated me. I romanticized growing old with you, the love of my life,” she wrote.

Erika reminisced about their future together and the dreams they held. She wrote, “I used to wonder what our faces would look like with wisdom-wrinkles. You'd always tell me how you hoped I'd keep my long hair even when we were both gray and also that I'd always wear white (because it was the color you loved me wearing the most).”

She continued, “We'd laugh about how you'd probably still be out on college campuses in your 80s, doing 'Prove Me Wrong' campus events because you loved those students. And then we'd both start to tear up when talking about our babies growing older and having a family of their own. A full life.”

Erika’s earlier public appearance includes a cameo on Bravo’s reality TV series Summer House season 3, which fans recognized after the resurfacing of a TikTok video. This appearance brought her additional public attention prior to the events surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death.

Us Weekly reached out to representatives for both Erika Kirk and Lori Frantzve for comments regarding the accusations made by Owens, but no responses were provided at the time of publication.

The ongoing public discourse surrounding Erika’s personal and professional life continues to be a subject of interest, especially amid the legacy of Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA’s future direction under her leadership.