Erika Kirk made one simple, powerful hand gesture during Charlie Kirk’s memorial.
The simple gesture carried a powerful meaning: in American Sign Language, she was saying “I love you.”
But now, some evil tongues are claiming it actually means something entirely different.
Over the weekend, tens of thousands gathered at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona — home of the NFL’s Cardinals — to honor his life.
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk, and MAGA leaders joined the crowd of mourners. But it was Erika’s tribute that captured hearts.
At one point, standing before the microphone, Erika raised her left hand and pointed it skyward. The simple gesture carried a powerful meaning: in American Sign Language, she was saying “I love you.”
According to Lingvano, the “I love you” sign is made by extending the thumb, index finger, and pinky, while pressing the middle and ring fingers against the palm. By aiming her hand upward, Erika was sending the message to her husband in heaven.
”What is happening?”
But after the memorial for Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona, a strange and falsely claim began circulating online: some were alleging that his widow, Erika Kirk, flashed a satanic hand gesture during her appearance at the event.
The viral allegation suggests that Erika’s gesture was meant to signal the so-called “devil horns.”
“I caught this hand sign from Erika Kirk, which is a Devil/Owl sign people use in dark meetings and rock-on concerts,” one man wrote on X, according to Daily Mail.
Another user expressed disbelief, writing, “What is happening? Erika Kirk throwing up a satanic hand symbol to end off Charlie’s funeral?!?! I hope she doesn’t realize what she’s doing, but this is definitely suspicious!”
”I don’t want to spoil the party”
A third chimed in, referring to Kirk standing beside the president at the time: “Sorry, I love Trump and Charlie Kirk, and I don’t want to spoil the party. But why did Erika wait until she was standing with the most famous man alive, in front of the whole world, at the most significant moment of her life, to throw up the devil-horned gesture?”
Despite the hateful claims swirling online, supporters of Erika Kirk quickly defended her, clarifying that the gesture was actually a widely recognized sign for “I love you” in sign language.
“PSA: Erika Kirk’s hand sign at the end was sign language for ‘I love you.’ Not a satanic hand sign. Dear lord… please give me strength on this app,” one user explained.
Others chimed in, reinforcing the clarification. “It’s sign language for ‘love you’. Ignorance is exactly why people commit violence. LEARN THINGS! Don’t spew evil where none exists,” another wrote.
The key difference
The confusion over Erika’s gesture was fueled by its similarity to the “rock on” sign often seen at concerts, where the index and pinky fingers are raised while the other fingers are tucked in.
The key difference, however, is that in American Sign Language, the “I love you” sign also raises the thumb — which Erika Kirk did when making her gesture.
