President Donald Trump has appointed Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors, replacing her late husband on the advisory panel.
The Board of Visitors, which consists of 16 members, provides oversight and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense regarding the academy’s operations. The panel reviews issues such as cadet morale, academic programs, and financial management and submits an annual report on the institution’s performance.
Erika Kirk’s appointment was not formally announced, but her name recently appeared on the board’s public membership list.
“Erika is the right person to fill Charlie’s place on the board and continue his work of inspiring the next generation of service members and advancing the academy,” Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), the board’s chair, told NBC affiliate KOAA. Pfluger said he recommended her appointment months ago.
“I look forward to working alongside her to carry on Charlie’s legacy,” he added.
Several lawmakers also serve on the board, including Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who Trump has recently selected to serve as the next secretary of Homeland Security, is also a member.
The Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors is one of several oversight bodies for the nation’s military academies, including West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy. Members typically include lawmakers, retired military officers, and presidential appointees who provide external perspectives on academy leadership, curriculum, and institutional priorities.
Trump has moved to appoint a number of political allies and conservative media figures to the boards of visitors for the military academies early in his second term, part of a broader effort to reshape oversight panels that influence the schools’ culture and policies.
Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was appointed to the Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors by Trump in March 2025. He attended one meeting in August before he was assassinated on Sept. 10 during an appearance on the campus of Utah Valley University.
While serving on the board, Kirk raised concerns about construction delays affecting the Air Force Academy’s chapel renovation project and urged academy leaders to emphasize American exceptionalism in cadet education.
“It is imperative that these cadets know that we are the greatest nation ever,” Kirk said during board discussions.
At the time of his death, the 31-year-old activist had become one of the most prominent conservative voices on college campuses through Turning Point USA, an organization that organizes student chapters and events nationwide to promote conservative political ideas.
Following his death, Erika Kirk assumed the role of chief executive officer at Turning Point USA.
