“Greatest Freudian slip of all time”: Erika Kirk grift -gift slip up while presenting award to UVU student Caleb Chilcutt draws scrutiny online

Erika Kirk’s mid-speech fumble at Turning Point USA’s convention, AmFest 2025 is drawing attention by netizens on social media. Kirk, who was honoring Caleb Chilcutt, a student from Utah Valley University where her husband, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in September, presented Chilcutt with the Charlie Kirk Courage Award.

While describing Chilcutt’s qualities, Kirk accidentally said that he possessed “grift,” after which she corrected herself to say “gift,” and then corrected herself one final time to say that Chilcutt had “grit.”

Kirk’s fumble did not go unnoticed by viewers. The Turning Point USA’s CEO was heavily criticized online as netizens compared her fumble with the enormous criticism that Kirk has been receiving recently.

Kirk, who’s TPUSA related public appearances have already been accused of pulling wool over supporters’ eyes, was slammed for what many netizens described as a ‘Freudian slip.’

Richard Hanania, a prominent conservative social media personality, quoted a portion of Kirk’s speech, and wrote on X,

“Erika Kirk: ‘Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband, at UVU, Caleb has persisted with the same grift, excuse me, grit…’ This is the greatest Freudian slip of all time.”

Erika Kirk: “Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband, at UVU, Caleb has persisted with the same grift, excuse me, grit…”

This is the greatest Freudian slip of all time. pic.twitter.com/WMLhCqhnrg

— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) December 21, 2025

Another critic echoed the sentiment to remark,

“Now that’s a Freudian slip if I ever saw one”

Another detractor suggested that Kirk’s comment was a slip, and said,

“Erika Kirk just made the mother of all Freudian slips.”

While claiming that Kirk swindles supporters of TPUSA, another netizen took to X to share,

“suspected grifter admitting grifting isn’t slip of tongue. it was for real”

Some netizens also shared jokes at the expense of Kirk’s speech fumble. An X user joked on the social media platform,

“She’s at the fifth stage of grift: acceptance.”

Another internet user suggested that the moment resembled a parody, and added,

“This would be an over-the-top line in an SNL parody.”

Hasan Piker, a livestreamer, also joined the conversation on X by taking the opportunity to criticize right wing commentary, and wrote,

“right wing commentary is a well funded grift propped up by the super wealthy to keep the working class occupied fighting each other so we don't unite and fight them instead”

right wing commentary is a well funded grift propped up by the super wealthy to keep the working class occupied fighting each other so we don't unite and fight them instead https://t.co/UVFkYcK8s7

— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) December 21, 2025

Erika Kirk is often criticized and labeled as a 'grifter'

Erika Kirk, who took control of TPUSA, the organization founded by her husband Charlie Kirk, after his death, is often lambasted on social media by netizens who began finding faults with her posturing during her public appearances after Charlie Kirk was gunned down in Utah Valley University.

Kirk hosted a fundraising event at Mar-a-Lago club, where netizens claimed that plates cost as much as $10,000.

After the event, netizens shared images from the event and widely criticized Kirk for hosting an elite, black-tie event.

Additionally, a few days ago, Erika Kirk was also slammed by podcaster Jennifer Welch. Welch, who co-hosts the podcast,  I’ve Had It, railed against the TPUSA CEO, accusing her of swindling supporters.

According to Huff Post, Welch directly addressed Kirk and said,

“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.”

As per the news outlet, Welch also referred to Charlie Kirk as a “racist and a homophobe,” while saying that women generally had more ‘empathy’ than Erika Kirk.