conservative commentator Candace Owens Questioning Erika Kirk’s rationale for withdrawing from the Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, pointing to conflicting reports about safety and attendance.
Owens claimed in his post on JD Vance.
Videos of empty seats circulated on social media, but no official attendance figures were provided.
Statement from TPUSA spokesperson and Erica Kirk
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet told attendees the threats were part of ongoing harassment. However, Vance went ahead with the event after safety negotiations and supported Kirk’s decision. She cited advice from her security team amid ongoing scrutiny of her husband Charlie Kirk’s A tragic shooting occurred in September 2025.
“I am very much looking forward to tonight’s event at @universityofga with our Vice President @JDVance, but after everything our family has been through, I take the advice of my security team very seriously,” Charlie Kirk’s widow wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “Thank you to our amazing Georgia chapter for your support. God bless you all!”
Here’s what Secret Service sources say
At the same time, intelligence sources agent They expressed additional concerns after it was revealed that “no credible threats” were found before Kirk pulled out of the Turning Point speaking event, CBS News reported.
CBS sources further revealed that the speaking location is considered “safe” and there are no “known threats to those being protected,” contrary to Erica’s claims.
Additionally, they noted that while the TPUSA CEO may have received “hostile or threatening information,” those communications did not constitute any actionable threat stream monitored by federal agencies.
Candace Owens accuses Erica Kirk of deceiving the public
Owens criticized Erica on social media, claiming her reasons had nothing to do with safety concerns and everything to do with the event’s failure to attract a large number of attendees.
“Stop. This is exhausting. You quit because of poor ticket sales. TPFaith has had to quietly ‘reschedule’ the Pastors Summit and various other events for the same reason,” she wrote.
Owens added, “People don’t believe you and won’t line up for you because you have a hard time telling the basic truth.”
The YouTuber’s comments quickly gained attention, prompting many to scrutinize Erica’s claims, especially when videos of the event surfaced online, showing a low attendance at the stadium despite Vance’s attendance.
Owens described the situation as both ridiculous and harmful, saying: “It’s objectively hilarious… Turning Point has become a sitcom. Somehow Erica really thinks she can get away with just saying things like this… When you have the Vice President of the United States with you, you definitely shouldn’t just say these things… If you have a credible threat, or a national security threat, that actually goes up, right? You’re saying my life is in danger.”
She escalated her accusations, explicitly accusing Kirk and Turning Point USA of deceiving the public. “The public should continue to be outraged by Turning Point USA’s recent falsehoods,” she said. “To recap, Erica Kirk flew from Palm Beach to Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday after a weekend bridal shower at Mar-a-Lago. She was aboard a condo-sized jumbo jet owned by a Vegas billionaire. She landed in a terminal that has been secured by our nation’s Secret Service since Monday.”
“The airport had military and police waiting in the terminal to escort the Vice President, who was expected to land in approximately one hour and thirty minutes before she arrived. After learning of the size of the crowd, Erica decided not to hold the event. Instead of simply canceling the event, she directed her PR team to concoct a wild lie that her travel security was imminent.”
“Again, she’s already sitting in the aisles of federal clearance in Georgia. Her PR attorney and the vice president then shamelessly lecture the audience about these invisible threats, implying that it’s the public’s fault that they criticize her. Completely indefensible and psychotic.”
During an appearance at the Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, Vance took the opportunity to defend Erica, claiming her critics are “full of shit.”
