What is ‘Kirkification’? Face-swap AI trend slammed as Charlie Kirk fans mourn assassination one year on

The internet phenomenon known as 'Kirkification' has faced considerable criticism following the assassination of Charlie Kirk one year ago. Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was killed in an attack at a university event in Utah on September 10, 2025. Tyler Robinson has been arrested and is set to face trial for this murder.

Following Kirk's death, a trend emerged where his face was swapped onto the faces of various individuals in photos and videos. This trend gained enough traction for the New Yorker to publish an article about it in April 2026. The article described the phenomenon as starting as a form of "nihilistic disenchantment" - a way for a generation to express confusion and cynicism towards contemporary political life.

GQ also covered the trend in 2025, dubbing it 'Kirkslop', and noted that this small but growing online movement was grafting Kirk's face onto celebrities and political figures, often those considered "appalling".

As the one-year anniversary of Kirk's assassination approached, posts with 'Kirkification' began resurfacing online. One notable example showed Kirk's face swapped onto Vin Diesel's character from Fast & Furious 5, reenacting a fight scene with Dwayne Johnson's character. Another post replaced Kirk's face with Barack Obama's on Drake's character. Users have also created an AI tool called 'Kirkify' that can replace any face with Kirk's appearance with just a photo upload.

However, Kirk's supporters have criticized this trend. A conservative commentator argued that while memes and angry posts keep his name alive, they are not erasing him. Instead, they are introducing him to new people who may not have heard his political commentary before, prompting them to ask questions about what he actually said. Another supporter stated that 'Kirkification' is disrespectful and amounts to literal dehumanization.