‘Kicked to the Curb’: Progressive Podcaster Calls Erika Kirk a ‘Grifter’ and Criticizes Turning Point USA

Progressive podcaster Jennifer Welch sharply criticized Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk on the I’ve Had It podcast, calling her an 'absolute grifter' and arguing that the organization’s rhetoric 'makes women less safe.' Welch and co-host Angie Sullivan made the comments after airing a clip of Kirk offering advice to young career women in New York.

What Sparked the Exchange

The podcast segment followed a clip in which Erika Kirk told young career women not to look to 'the government as a solution to put off having a family or a marriage because you’re relying on the government to support you instead of being united with a husband.' Welch responded angrily, saying Kirk benefits from rights and opportunities earned by previous civil rights gains while promoting a message of female submission.

'You are an opportunistic grifter who weaponizes your gender to demean women,' Welch said. 'And you are a walking, talking, breathing example as to why nobody, number one, wants to be a Christian, and number two, wants to be a female hypocrite such as yourself. Your language and organization makes women less safe all across the board.'

Remarks About Charlie Kirk

Welch also attacked Erika Kirk’s late husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed while onstage during an appearance in September. Welch described him as 'an unrepentant racist and a homophobe' and accused Erika of lecturing women despite benefiting from societal changes that enabled her career.

'Your deceased husband was an unrepentant racist and a homophobe. And women are a lot more empathetic than you are, Erika… so for you to prance into Manhattan and lecture women who are abundantly aware of the coattails of which we have ridden … to be able to be heard. You are so divorced from reality and you need to go back to the Turning Point bubble. Nobody’s picking up what you’re putting down, Erika.'

Welch added, 'This woman should be kicked to the curb… She is an absolute grifter — just like Donald Trump and just like her unrepentant, racist, homophobic husband was.' During the episode, co-host Angie Sullivan interjected: 'Maybe there’s more to life than identifying yourself as someone’s wife or someone’s mother.'

Context

Erika Kirk is currently promoting Charlie Kirk’s new book, STOP, in the Name of God, which he completed roughly two months before he was killed. The exchange highlights the deep partisan tensions surrounding Turning Point USA and the public fallout following Charlie Kirk’s death.

Note: This article reports on heated public comments between political figures and commentators and reproduces those remarks for factual reporting.