Liberal podcaster Jennifer Welch sparks fury with attack on Erika Kirk
Jennifer Welch has sparked fury online after she said that Erika Kirk, wife of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was an “opportunistic grifter” and described Charlie Kirk as a “racist” during an episode of her I’ve Had It podcast.
Newsweek has contacted Turning Point USA and a representative for Welch outside of regular working hours via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Charlie Kirk was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10, at the age of 31. The right-wing activist was the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth movement. He was also a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and a voice of MAGA for younger generations, with a significant social media following.
His death sent shockwaves through the country and sounded the alarm over concerns about political violence. Though there was an outpouring of grief in the wake of his passing, there was also a significant amount of criticism shared toward Kirk and his beliefs, which in turn underscored the current polarized state of politics in America.
This response heightened tensions and was swiftly responded to by the Trump administration, with Vice President JD Vance encouraging people to report those who may be celebrating his killing to their employer.
Erika Kirk was chosen to lead Turning Point USA following the death of her husband. She had promised to honor her husband by continuing his work and has taken on a more public role since her husband’s death.
What To Know
Welch’s comments followed Erika Kirk being interviewed by The New York Times, where she spoke about New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani. She said: “I think there’s a tendency, especially when you live in a city like Manhattan, where, again, you are so career-driven, and you almost look to the government as a form of replacement for certain things, relationship-wise, even.”
Kirk went on to say that she didn’t want women in New York City to rely on the government and put off marriage and having a family. She said that she found it “ironic” and “interesting” that a large percentage of voters for Mamdani were women.
In response, Welch said that Erika Kirk is “weaponizing” her gender while being a “full-time working mother.”
“You are an opportunistic grifter who weaponizes your gender to demean women, and you are a walking, talking, breathing example as to why nobody, number one, wants to be a Christian, and number two, wants to be a female hypocrite such as yourself,” Welch said, adding: “This woman should be kicked to the curb.”
The podcaster continued, adding, “She is an absolute grifter – just like Donald Trump and her unrepentant, racist, homophobic husband was.”
Angie Sullivan, who co-hosts the I’ve Had It podcast with Welch, then added: “Maybe there’s more to life than identifying yourself as someone’s wife or someone’s mother.”
Welch’s remarks have quickly been met with criticism online, with social media users labeling her “dumb” and “miserable.”
Erika Kirk, meanwhile, has come under fire for her remarks over women and family, with critics arguing this position is hypocritical as she herself earned a degree and founded a nonprofit before getting married and having children in her 30s.
Who Is Jennifer Welch?
Welch is an interior designer and former reality TV star who first rose to fame on the Bravo show, Sweet Home Oklahoma. That show ran from 2016 to 2019, and Welch co-hosted it with Sullivan.
Since 2022, she and Sullivan have hosted the I’ve Had It podcast. They are known for sharing outspoken left-wing takes on politics and using profane language.
What People Are Saying
Carl Higbie, a media personality and Newsmax host, said in a post on X: “THESE plastic surgery based women are the real grifters. Miserable liberal white women.”
Kurt Schlichter, a lawyer and writer with over 600,000 followers on X, wrote on the social media platform: “Ugly inside and out – the perfect Dem.”
The social media account @catturd2, which has 3.9 millions followers on X, in a post viewed over 80,000 times: “Botox Betty is saying dumb s*** again.”
Matt Bernstein, a content creator, in a reel shared to Instagram viewed 1.8 million times, following Erika Kirk’s interview with The Times: “Why is the New York Times giving yet another microphone to a woman who wants to tell the women of New York City, a place she does not live in, that they should deprioritize their careers while she grifts off her dead husband, to make one for herself?”
What Happens Next?
Welch was recently profiled by The New York Times, something which indicates her popularity is growing. As she and her podcast become more well-known, instances of political views landing with a clash online are likely to continue.
