Conservative commentator Candace Owens questioned Erika Kirk’s stated rationale for her withdrawal from a Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, pointing to conflicting reports regarding security and attendance.
In posts on X, Owens claimed that ticket sales were low, while event organizers maintained that “serious threats” led to Kirk’s last-minute cancellation of the interview with Vice President JD Vance.
Clips on social media depicting empty seats circulated, although no official attendance numbers were provided.
TPUSA spokesperson and Erika kirk’s statements
Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, informed attendees that the threats were part of ongoing harassment. Vance, however, continued with the event after security consultations and supported Kirk’s decision. She cited the advice of her security team in light of the ongoing scrutiny following her husband Charlie Kirk’s tragic shooting in September 2025.
“I was so looking forward to tonight’s event at the @universityofga with our Vice President @JDVance, but after all our family has been through, I take my security team’s recommendations extremely seriously,” Charlie Kirk’s widow tweeted on Tuesday. “Thank you to our amazing Georgia chapter for your support. God bless you all!”
Here’s what Secret Service source said
Meanwhile, intelligence sources from the Secret Service have expressed additional concern following the disclosure that “no credible threats” were identified before Kirk’s withdrawal from the Turning Point speaking engagement, CBS News reported.
The CBS source further disclosed that the location for the speaking engagement was deemed “secure” with no “known threats to the protectee,” contrary to Erika’s assertions.
Furthermore, they noted that although the TPUSA CEO might have received “hostile or threatening messages,” these communications did not constitute any actionable threat stream monitored by federal agencies.
Candace Owens accuses Erika Kirk of deceiving public
Taking to social media, Owens criticized Erika, asserting that her justifications were unrelated to security concerns and were instead linked to the event’s failure to attract a significant number of attendees.
“Stop. This is exhausting. You pulled out because of bad ticket sales. For the same reason, TPFaith had to ‘reschedule’ the Pastor’s Summit and various other events quietly,” she wrote.
Owens added, “People don’t believe you and don’t line up for you because you struggle to tell the truth about even the most basic facts.”
The YouTuber’s remarks quickly gained traction, prompting many to examine Erika’s assertions, particularly as videos from the event surfaced online, showcasing a sparse turnout at the stadium, despite Vance’s attendance.
Owens characterized the scenario as both ridiculous and harmful, saying: “It’s objectively hilarious… Turning Point USA has turned into a sitcom. Somehow, Erika really thought that she was just going to get away with saying that… You definitely shouldn’t just say stuff when you have the vice president of the United States with you… That would actually rise if there was a credible threat against you, or a national security threat, right? You’re saying my life was at risk.”
She escalated her allegations, explicitly charging Kirk and Turning Point USA with deceiving the public. She stated: “The public should continue to be outraged over this recent lie from Turning Point USA. To recap, Erika Kirk flew into Athens, Georgia from Palm Beach on Tuesday after a weekend bridal shower at Mar A Lago. She flew in aboard a massive, apartment-sized jet owned by Vegas billionaires. She landed into a terminal which had been secured, since Monday, by our nation’s secret service.”
“There was both a military and police presence waiting at that terminal to escort the VP who was due to land about an hour and 30 minutes after her. After learning of the crowd size, Erika decided she no longer wanted to do the event. Rather than simply cancelling, she instructed her PR team to make up a demented lie about imminent threats against her travel safety.”
“Again, she was ALREADY IN GEORGIA sitting upon a federally cleared pathway. Her PR agent and the Vice President then shamelessly lectured the audience about these invisible threats, suggesting they were the public’s fault for having criticized her. UTTERLY INDEFENSIBLE AND PSYCHOPATHIC.”
During his appearance at the Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, Vance seized the opportunity to defend Erika, asserting that her critics are “full of sh-t.”
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