Daisy Keech, a lifestyle influencer with millions of followers, faced a wave of criticism after posting Instagram stories mourning the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and sharing messages condemning recent violent incidents.
Keech, who has about 5 million followers on Instagram and 7 million on TikTok, wrote that she was "at such a loss for words" and thanked Kirk for "everything he's done for the youth of our country." She also reposted a message that criticized rejoicing in the death of a "father and husband" and called recent murders "an act of the devil," urging people to use their voices against violence. Keech said she generally keeps her political opinions private but felt compelled to speak out because of the "evil."
In addition to her remarks about Kirk, Keech reposted content condemning a recent South Carolina school shooting and the stabbing death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. She also shared a short video that described Kirk's death as feeling like "they lost a friend" and called him a "true servant of god," adding the caption "1000% to this."
The posts prompted hundreds of hostile comments, with some social media users accusing Keech of "selective empathy" for not previously commenting on other deaths or political violence. One Reddit user wrote, "I don't remember her posting about the Democrat politician killed by the Republican. Strange, isn't it?" Other commenters said they had lost respect for the influencer's content.
Several of Keech's followers defended her. Supporters thanked her for speaking out, urged her to ignore the negative responses and said they were proud she had honored Kirk. Keech told her Instagram audience she would accept disagreement and instructed those who disagreed with her beliefs to unfollow.
Keech rose to prominence as a co‑founder of the Hype House collective in 2019 and later shifted toward wellness, lifestyle and home renovation content. Her decision to publicly address a politically charged death marked a departure from the largely apolitical tone she has often maintained.
The reactions highlight the tensions influencers face when they comment on politically polarizing events while managing large, ideologically mixed audiences. Online responses ranged from calls for respectful disagreement to intense criticism for the timing and focus of Keech's posts.
The Daily Mail reported Keech's posts and said it reached out to her for comment. Keech did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment beyond the Instagram stories and reposts.
Kirk, described in Keech's posts as a conservative activist, has been the subject of intense public attention since his death. Keech's posts linked that attention to broader concerns about violence and public discourse, prompting both support and backlash from her followers.
The episode underscores how public figures with large social-media platforms navigate reactions when they speak on contentious national topics and tragedies, and how quickly audiences can mobilize both criticism and defense online.