Candace Owens<\/strong> is accusing Erika Kirk<\/strong><\/a> and her mother, Lori Frantzve,<\/strong> of being social climbers.<\/p>\n Speaking on episode 2 of her docuseries, Bride of Charlie,<\/em><\/a> which dropped on Thursday, February 26, Owens claimed Erika<\/a>, 37, and Lori have long held ambitions of being famous.<\/p>\n The conservative podcast host, 36, suggested that Lori had often encouraged Erika to work the room, even before Erika married prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.<\/strong> (Charlie was shot dead<\/a> at Utah university campus on September 10, 2025.)<\/p>\n \u201cWhat people have said to me is she is the person who has always been the person in Erika\u2019s ear. She\u2019s 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,\u201d Owens said in the episode.<\/p>\n She continued, \u201cI mean, one of [Erika\u2019s] exes was very clear. He said to me, \u2018I 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Owens went on to claim that outsiders suspected that Lori has likely been \u201cthe person in her ear\u201d but also suggested that Erika was a willing participant in this as she had similar goals.<\/p>\n \u201cShe wanted Erika to be famous. But let\u2019s not remove Erika from this. Erika desperately wanted to be famous. No one can deny that,\u201d Owens added.<\/p>\n Owens also referenced Erika\u2019s past relationships, including JT Massey<\/strong>. Erika and Massey, her then-boyfriend, auditioned to compete on The Amazing Race<\/em> together<\/a> in 2014.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTomorrow when we now begin in earnest to go through Erika\u2019s life, you will see she\u2019s never dated a normal guy. She\u2019s never dated a guy with a nine-to-five job,\u201d Owens continued. \u201cYou can see, like, she was going to be with somebody. She was, \u2018Okay, you\u2019re going to the NFL. You\u2019re going to the MLB. We can be on the Amazing Race<\/em> together.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Us Weekly<\/em> has reached out to representatives for Erika Kirk and Lori Frantze for comment.<\/p>\n Erika took over the role as Turning Point CEO after her husband, Charlie, was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at an outdoor event on the Utah Valley University campus on September 10, 2025. He was 31. (A 22-year-old male was arrested in connection with the shooting on September 11, 2025, but has yet to enter a plea.)<\/p>\n Owens, a former Turning Point USA communications director, has grown increasingly critical of Erika since Charlie\u2019s death.<\/p>\n<\/div>
\n Erika Kirk.<\/span> (Photo by Win McNamee\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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