President Donald Trump, 79, was among the tens of thousands who gathered in Arizona for the televised memorial of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. But it wasn’t just his presence that drew attention.
Footage of Trump kissing Kirk’s widow sparked a frenzy online, with many questioning why he seemed more affectionate with her than with Melania, who was nowhere in sight.
Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. The co-founder of Turning Point USA, a political organization, passed away at the age of 31.
On September 21, Turning Point USA organized a public memorial for Kirk inside Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. Trump addressed the crowd in Glendale by offering a controversial eulogy for the late father of two children.
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At one point, Trump kissed and hugged Kirk’s widow on stage. Footage of him consoling Erika Kirk, 36, as “America the Beautiful” played over the stadium’s loudspeakers quickly sparked online debate, with many noting she held Trump for what felt like far too long.
“He don’t even show his wife that much affection. What’s going on here? Lol,” someone on the Threads social media platform posted, referring to Trump’s 55-year-old spouse, First Lady Melania Trump, who was nowhere to be found.
A similar reply read, “More action than he’s gotten from his wife in years.” Another Threads user suggested, “He didn’t even want to hold her, and she was forcing it by holding onto him for too long.”
Speculation about the actual state of the president and the first lady’s marriage but intensified during Trump’s introduction into the political scene in 2015. Those rumors have remained attached to the couple into Trump’s second term in the White House, which began in January.
Eagle-eyed observers constantly zero in on the oftentimes very noticeable awkwardness such as moments, where Melania hesitated to kiss Trump or hold his hand during public outings. More recently, their stilted chemistry was on display when they arrived in the United Kingdom for a state visit on September 16.
Reports that the pair slept in separate rooms during their stay at England’s Windsor Castle during their trip to the U.K. following claims about their separate rooms at the White House, further ignited gossip fodder about the true nature of their relationship.
When the New York Post shared a photo of its front page showing Trump hugging Erika on Instagram, the comment section quickly filled with clashing reactions.
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“They turned it into a political show. And she (the wife) allowed them to do it. It’s truly embarrassing. I felt sorry for her husband,” one person declared about the Kirks.
Trump hailed Kirk as a “great American hero” while eulogizing the controversial media personality in Arizona despite critics pointing out the late podcaster’s provocative rhetoric on race, gender, religion, and other issues.
Vice President JD Vance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Donald Trump Jr., and other prominent Republican figures were in attendance for Kirk’s memorial as well.
‘What’s Going On?’: Melania Absent as Trump Showers Kirk’s Widow with Tender Kisses at Memorial, Leaving Viewers Stunned by the Contrast with His Wife