Wondering What the Erika Kirk First Marriage Conspiracy Is? We've Got the Tea

Conspiracy theories have run rampant since the death of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, including one about his widow, Erika Kirk, and her alleged first marriage. The Republican activist was shot to death in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10, 2025, as he spoke about gangs and gun violence in front of a crowd at Utah Valley University.

Following his death, conspiracy theories about his death circulated online, especially from fellow Republican Candace Owens, who claimed that Charlie was either murdered by people connected to Turning Point USA or that those people know more than they've shared with the public. She also claimed Charlie told her in a dream that he was betrayed, which reportedly caused some friction between the two women. However, the latest conspiracy is about Erika and her alleged ex-husband.

The Erika Kirk first marriage conspiracy began online, and the theory is that Erika, whose maiden name is Erika Frantzve, was married before Charlie to a man named Derek Chelsvig. The internet rumor claims that Erika's first marriage is being hidden from the public, per the Times of India. Erika met Charlie in 2018, and there is no evidence that she was ever married to Derek.

There are no records to indicate Erika has been married to anyone before Charlie, nor are there any records of a divorce. Despite those facts, the rumors persist.

Erika said on Instagram that she met Charlie in 2018 when she he interviewed her for a job in New York City.

"Five years ago today, we sat inside Bills Burgers in NYC deep in conversation and banter over theology, philosophy, and politics, and at the end, you paused, looked at me and said, ‘I'm going to date you,’" she wrote on Instagram.

The duo married in 2021 and had two children, per US Magazine.

Another bizarre theory claims Erika is actually a woman with the same name who lived in 1934. The woman also used the nickname "Madame X," and folks online are clutching their perverbial pearls because of how much the women resemble each other, as well as the fact that they share a name.

Erika Carola Mattfeld Kirk was born in 1934, and she died in Palm Beach, Fla., in 2023. She was married to Florida Gov. Claude Kirk, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. Erika Frantzve Kirk was born in 1988 in Ohio.

Both Erikas have blond hair, similar facial features, and were married to Republican political figures, and the similarities were too much for folks on the internet. Some folks believe that the Erika born in 1934 is the same Erika who was born in 1988 and married to Charlie. Others even think today's Erika may be a clone of the 1934 Erika.

Erika has taken over for her husband at Turning Point USA, and with her being in the spotlight so much as of late, no doubt more conspiracy theories are coming soon.