A widely circulated social media post claiming that country singer Carrie Underwood accused Erika Kirk of "turning grief into profit" has been confirmed to be entirely fabricated, according to multiple fact-checking sources. The viral image, which first gained traction in early November across Facebook and X, purported to show Underwood condemning the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk following his assassination in September. No such message was ever published by Underwood or anyone representing her.
The alleged post, shared through screenshots without any verifiable link, claimed Underwood wrote, "I WON'T FAKE SYMPATHY," alongside an accusation that Erika Kirk was exploiting public sympathy. Some reposts added captions such as, "CARRIE UNDERWOOD JUST BROKE NASHVILLE'S SILENCE," suggesting an industry-wide controversy.
As the image spread, social media users reacted as though the message were genuine. One user wrote, "Carrie Underwood about Charlie Kirk's murder. What do you have to say to Carrie Underwood???" while others described the supposed message as "unfiltered" or "brave." Dozens of posts called it a turning point in public sentiment toward Kirk's killing, which took place at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.
However, fact-checkers quickly discredited the claim. The Hindustan Times reported that the image originated from an unverified page and was amplified before scrutiny could check its accuracy. Grok AI, a real-time verification tool also cited in the report, stated, "No, this claim is false. Carrie Underwood has not made any public statement criticising Erika Kirk or accusing her of exploiting Charlie Kirk's death. The circulating image stems from unverified social media pages pushing sensational narratives." A supposed article linked in several posts led only to a broken webpage at a domain associated with previous misinformation campaigns.
Despite debunking, the narrative continued to circulate. Some users expressed agreement with the fabricated statement. One Facebook user wrote, "I agree with Carrie. I lost my husband years back," while another commented, "Carrie correct." Others quickly pushed back. "I call BS on this," wrote Linda Griffin, and another user posted, "It's fake. You are worse than Facebook. Just for clicks." Screenshots of users using Grok AI to verify the claim also circulated, confirming the post was false.
Erika Kirk addressed the broader wave of speculation surrounding her husband's death during an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters on November 6. "When everything happened, my phone just became a black hole," she said. "I didn't turn it on for weeks. I needed to guard my heart and be there for my kids." Now serving as CEO and chair of Turning Point USA, she urged restraint and empathy regarding public commentary. "Everyone grieves differently," she said.
Speaking to Times Now, she also highlighted the role of online speculation in amplifying trauma: "He didn't die in a car accident or from cancer - he was assassinated. And unlike past assassinations, this one exists in a world with social media and AI." She added, "Please think about what you post. What's shared online will impact his kids in the future. Some grace would be nice."
