Daisy Keech Yerger, a fitness influencer and co-founder of TikTok’s Hype House, drew a flood of hostile responses after posting condolences for conservative commentator Charlie Kirk following his assassination last week.
Yerger, 26, who has about 5.1 million followers on Instagram, reposted several tributes to Kirk — including a video showing his young daughter running into his arms — and wrote that she was "at such a loss for words" and that his death was "so unfair." Her posts prompted hundreds of critical comments accusing her of "selective empathy" and noting her public silence on other high-profile issues.
Kirk was shot and killed last Wednesday during a "Prove Me Wrong" debate event at Utah Valley University, a killing that has prompted nationwide attention and a series of workplace and civic consequences for people who celebrated his death. News organizations reported multiple individuals lost jobs after social-media posts praising the shooting, including a New York school resource officer and an Ohio judge associated with a charity foundation.
Many commenters on Yerger’s posts criticized her for not speaking out previously about issues such as the murder of George Floyd, the Israel-Hamas war, immigration enforcement and other matters involving people of color. One user wrote she was "very out of touch w reality," while another said she had "never spoke about Gaza, ICE, any poc injustices." Several responses invoked religion and authenticity, with one comment noting she "never made one post talking about God" and questioning the sudden spiritual tone.
Yerger replied on Instagram, reiterating her original sentiment and pushing back at those who celebrated Kirk’s death. "I never speak on politics because of all the division it creates, but all this evil makes me sick," she wrote, calling those who rejoiced "sick" and urging them to "find the Lord." She added that people who disagreed with her views could "just unfollow" and encouraged followers to "contribute good into the world."
Despite the backlash, supporters of Kirk moved to her posts and her follower counts on Instagram and TikTok remained steady. Yerger rose to prominence after helping to establish the Hype House in 2019 alongside other social-media figures who later became mainstream celebrities.
The online clash over Yerger’s posts reflects heightened tensions on social media following the killing, where expressions of grief and political loyalties have spurred both public debate and punitive actions. Authorities continue investigating the shooting at Utah Valley University, and the broader political fallout has included scrutiny of public figures, professionals and institutions whose employees or affiliates appeared to endorse violence.
Yerger’s posts and the reaction to them underscore growing expectations that public personalities address or take stances on national and racial justice issues. She framed her response to critics in personal and religious terms rather than political ones, asking followers to refrain from celebrating the death of a father and husband and to seek spiritual solace.
As debate over public responses continues, social-media platforms and employers have faced pressure to police posts that appear to condone violence. The immediate aftermath of Kirk’s killing has produced both condemnations of the shooting and contentious exchanges over who should voice sympathy, how those sympathies are received, and what consequences should follow for those who celebrate or minimize the violence.