In March 2026, online users shared a claim that U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk, the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, to serve as a member on the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.
For example, one X user posted (archived) an image of Erika Kirk and Trump with the caption, "Erika Kirk has been appointed to the Air Force Academy Board where she will help advise the Defense Department on issues affecting the academy. What in the actual hell are we doing?"
(@ZachCostello_/X)
In short, this claim was true.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales confirmed to Snopes via email that Trump selected Kirk to serve in the same board seat previously occupied by her husband, who was killed on the Utah Valley University campus during a speaking event on Sept. 10, 2025:
President Trump made the perfect choice in appointing Erika Kirk to the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors. Charlie Kirk served proudly on the Board, inspiring not only the next generation of servicemembers, but millions around the world with his bold Christian faith, defense of the truth, and deep love of country. Erika Kirk will continue his legacy, and be a fearless advocate for the most elite airpower force in the history of the world whose warriors keep our Nation safe, strong, and free.
Months prior to his death, Charlie Kirk thanked Trump on X (archived) for appointing him to the board, responding above a screenshot of Trump's Truth Social post (archived). In Kirk's post, he defined a single focus for service academies: "Recruiting and developing the best cadets possible to protect this country and her liberties."
Snopes contacted Turning Point USA by email to ask if it wished to comment on Erika Kirk's appointment to the board and will update this story if we receive further information.
Air Force Academy Board of Visitors' purpose
Congress established (archived) the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors in 1956. Then-President Dwight Eisenhower selected aviator Charles Lindbergh and others to serve with the inaugural committee.
The board is comprised of "six persons designated by the President," as well as members of the House and Senate, and others. 10 U.S.C. § 9455 (archived) states, "The persons designated by the President serve for three years each," and that at least two president-designated members must be academy graduates.
The same statute says the person who appointed a member retains the power to select a replacement in the event of a member's death or termination from the board. In other words, the statute granted Trump the right to choose Charlie Kirk's replacement, resulting in his selection of Erika Kirk.
The charter (archived) for the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors defines the committee's objective and scope of activities as providing "independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to the U.S. Air Force Academy." The board's description of duties includes "[inquiring] into the morale, discipline, and social climate, the curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, and other matters relating to the" academy that the board decides to consider.
According to the charter, the board visits the academy annually, though other visits are possible. The board prepares a semiannual report containing its views and recommendations, then submits the report to the defense secretary and other high-ranking officials for approval and consultation.
As of March 2026, the academy's website listed five president-appointed board members and one vacancy, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., motivational speaker Dan Clark, 1989 academy graduate and retired Air Force Col. Doug Nikolai, Trump first-term Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell and Erika Kirk.
Charlie Kirk's contributions to board
Charlie Kirk first appeared in minutes for an Aug. 7, 2025, board meeting — just over one month before his death. The minutes provide a snapshot of his board work, including advocating for Trump administration initiatives. For example, in one instance, Kirk echoed another board member's sentiments wishing to allow cadets to celebrate "air and space mindedness" through their uniforms.
At one point, Kirk asked a specific question involving the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives:
Mr. Kirk asked for the USAFA staff to explain how they are following the President and SECDEF's directives on critical race theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) when it comes to curriculum and how the Academy is ensuring compliance with the faculty to ensure USAFA doesn't push the worldview of oppression, oppressor/oppressed dynamics, anti-western, anti-American, and gender ideology.
Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind [the academy's superintendent] expressed that the Academy is compliant with all executive orders. The Academy stood up a task force to review the curriculum, library, and facility spaces under the leadership of a senior leader (O-6 and above). USAFA has captured the outcome of that task force in a series of logic papers.
Mr. Kirk asked how much was found. Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind said he would follow up on the record later but expressed that they discovered 2 noncompliant courses, 10 to 12 readings, and more administrative action with these being expressed in the logic papers that would provide a historical record of the action. He then expressed that while he was sure the Academy was compliant, he can't say 100% that everything was captured. He explained that if new non-compliant items are found they will be corrected.
Kirk also expressed concern and/or interest in, or questioned, physical fitness standards for males and females, race as a factor in academy admissions and the renovation of the academy's chapel.
The minutes featured a statement capturing Kirk's primary focus in his board work, including saying, "We want America to dominate this century." The statement read:
When you make dramatic changes you do not strip the connective tissues of tradition alongside it. Cadets need to feel connected to those who came before them to maintain the unbroken chain of excellence. We need to educate the cadets towards being something, towards being a warrior but for what. We want them after four years to be able to articulate and feel in their soul American exceptionalism. What are they willing to die for and what is the Constitution they are swearing an oath to? We want them to be on fire because good leaders can articulate the why. After the cadets graduate, we want to see them advocate for the success of the institution, and not just a tool for the military. To be able to explain why we are fighting so hard and why we are sacrificing. We want America to dominate this century, and we can't do that without knowing what we are and who we are. It is imperative that these cadets know that we are the greatest nation ever. That they are here to understand the beauty of this country.
The minutes for the following meeting on Dec. 8 honored Kirk's life and specifically mentioned his push for the academy's chapel renovation.
For further reading, we previously reported the facts about an image users alleged showed Erika Kirk with Tyler Robinson, the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk.