Erika Kirk Slammed For 'Classless' Joke About Grabbing JD Vance's Butt — as Charlie's Widow Continues to Fiercely Defend Her Bizarre Hugs
Erika Kirk's hug with JD Vance went viral.
Nov. 26 2025, Published 2:20 p.m. ET
Erika Kirk has been taken to task over a "classless" joke about grabbing JD Vance's butt, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Charlie Kirk's widow appeared in conversation with Megyn Kelly, and the awkward hug she shared with the Vice President was a hot topic.
The Viral Embrace Between JD Vance and Erika Kirk
Erika Kirk rolled her eyes when asked about her viral embrace with JD Vance.
When Erika, 37, hugged Vance during a Turning Point USA event, she was immediately criticized for placing her hands in the back of his hair, as well as for the leather pants she wore. Vance, for his part, was also scrutinized for briefly placing his hands on her hips.
"Did you see the people who didn't understand the hug that you and JD had? They went to the weirdest places," Kelly asked her.
Erika responded with a laugh and an eye roll.
"Oh my gosh, please! Anyone who knows me knows... I hug," she shared.
'I'll Give You a Free Hug Anytime'
Erika Kirk said her 'love language is touch.'
Erika added the people hating on her hug with the politician "probably need a hug themselves."
"I'll give you a free hug anytime," she added. "My love language is touch."
Erika also recalled what happened in the moment the viral embrace occurred: "I'm walking over, he's walking over, I'm starting to cry, he says, 'He's so proud of you,' and I say, 'God bless you,' and I touch the back of his head – something I do with anyone I hug.
"If you've ever hugged me, I've done that. If people want to take that out of context, go ahead. To me, that just shows you need a hug more than anyone else."
Kelly then piped in to say people were "acting like you touched him on the back of his ass."
"Honestly, I feel like I wouldn't get as much hate if I did that," Erika quipped back.
Erika Kirk Slammed For Joking About JD Vance's Butt
Erika Kirk was called an 'embarassment' on X after her comments to Megyn Kelly.
X users immediately flocked to the popular social media platform to troll Erika over her comments.
"Wow," one member wrote. "Maybe that's why she wore the leather pants."
"Erika Kirk is such an embarrassment," another user piped in to add. "She is now making jokes about touching JD Vance's ass..."
Another user called the mother of two "wrong" and "classless."
A Body Language Expert Analyzes JD Vance and Erika Kirk's Hug
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Erika Kirk is Charlie Kirk's widow.
Body Language Expert and Behavior Analyst Traci Brown spoke to RadarOnline.com about the viral moment between Erika and Vance.
"I think they're super close," Brown stated. "Or she wants to be super close. And he's not saying no, right?"
Brown, who authored How to Detect Lies, Fraud and Identity Theft, noted the interaction between Erika and Vance showed "a general lack of boundaries."
"Is it over her whole life? Don't know. But definitely right now, the stress has heightened that," Brown suggested.
In another conversation with RadarOnline.com about the hug, Brown had spilled Erika tilted "her head" upon seeing Vance, which showed "deep recognition and affection."
She also noted their body language showed a lack of "formality" and that "her hand on the back of his head" showed "deep closeness."
Erika's hug with Vance isn't the only time one of her embraces has gone viral, as a moment she shared with country singer Jason Aldean also blew up.
