It’s been months since America mourned the shocking death of Charlie Kirk, but now his widow, Erika Kirk, is speaking publicly for the first time — and her words to late-night host
In a new interview with Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, Erika addressed the controversy that erupted after Kimmel made comments about her husband’s murder — remarks that sparked national backlash and led to his temporary suspension from ABC.
When asked if she wanted an apology, Erika revealed she’d already sent a quiet but profound message:
“They asked, ‘Do you want Jimmy to apologize? To make it right?’ I said, ‘If it’s not in his heart, don’t do it. I don’t want it. I don’t need it.’”
Her calm strength stood in sharp contrast to the media storm that followed. Kimmel later returned to his show and delivered an emotional monologue, clarifying that he never intended to make light of the tragedy
, and even praised Erika’s extraordinary grace, calling her public forgiveness of the alleged killer “a selfless act of faith.”
Erika, now raising two young children on her own, shared how she comforts them when they ask about their father.
“I tell them, ‘If you want to talk to Daddy, just look up and start talking. He can hear you.’”
Her interview — airing Wednesday, November 5, at 8 p.m. ET
— promises a rare and heartfelt look at faith, loss, and forgiveness in the face of unimaginable grief.
CARLSON’S ACCUSATIONS
After Tucker Carlson claimed the FBI lied about the Donald Trump assassination attempt, the agency responded directly. Carlson questioned the FBI’s statements regarding suspect Thomas Crooks, suggesting the bureau misrepresented his digital footprint. Crooks, charged with attempting to kill Trump at a July campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ultimately only struck the president’s ear but killed 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore. A Secret Service sniper shot Crooks shortly after, while two others, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were injured.
Carlson said, “The FBI told us Thomas Crooks tried to kill Donald Trump last summer, but somehow had no online footprint. The FBI lied, and we can prove it because we have his posts. The question is why?”
THE FBI RESPONDS
The FBI Rapid Response account pushed back immediately: “The FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever.”
CARLSON DOUBLES DOWN
Carlson later shared a video he claimed the FBI, under director Kash Patel, had tried to hide. The footage, allegedly from Crooks’ Google Drive, showed shooting drills and suggested Crooks maintained multiple online personas and left YouTube comments. Carlson argued that this proved Crooks “was not some secretive lone wolf who never warned anyone that he was planning violence.” He added, “Thomas Crooks came within a quarter inch of destroying this country, and yet, a year and a half later, we still know almost nothing about him or why he did it.”
He accused the FBI of “hiding from the public what they know” and described Crooks as a “volatile, troubled, possibly mentally ill young man with a long record of espousing violence in public.” Carlson claimed the bureau “used a selective read of those comments to lie about what Thomas Crooks was thinking.”
THE FBI SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
On Friday, Patel released documents and statements that contradicted Carlson’s claims. On X, he wrote: “The investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees, revealed Crooks had limited online and in-person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone.”
The bureau detailed its investigation, which included examining over 20 online accounts, data from more than a dozen electronic devices, numerous financial records, and over 1,000 interviews plus 2,000 public tips. Patel’s statement reinforced that Crooks acted independently and that the FBI had no record of him openly warning anyone about his intentions.