Questions are rising over why Erica Kirk pulled out of a high-profile Turning Point USA event where she was to appear with US Vice President JD Vance, with sources cited by the Daily Mail revealing that the decision was due to more than just security concerns.The 37-year-old widow was scheduled to interview Vance at an event organized by her late husband’s conservative group at the University of Georgia on Tuesday. However, she failed to attend, with organizers citing “serious threats” to her safety.Insiders said the explanation tells only part of the story. Erica Kirk is struggling with increased public scrutiny and online criticism in the months following the murder of her husband Charlie Kirk last year, according to a close confidant.The source said, “She knows how she’s coming across. She’s not stupid… She’s seen the comments online. She gets it. It hurts.”The reaction intensified after a recent viral video by comedian Drusky mocked Kirk’s public appearances after her husband’s murder, using exaggerated expressions, makeup, and fake tears.The insider said, “The Drusky video showed her what people think about her. She’s really hurt that people feel that way about her, that they’re making fun of her.”He said that his decision to withdraw from the program was influenced by several factors. “She withdrew from the TPUSA program for a variety of reasons, I don’t think it was just safety concerns,” the source said.“If there were security concerns, the vice president would not have gone.”There were also rumors that low ticket sales may have been the reason, a claim made by commentator Candace Owens. However, the insider said that was not the only reason.“It wasn’t even just ticket sales. It was a mental exhaustion like, ‘Nothing I do will be right, people will make fun,’ so she canceled,” he said.Erica has remained in the public eye since the death of her husband, who was killed by a sniper during an event at Utah Valley University in September. Soon after, he gained attention for publicly forgiving his alleged attacker.Some praised her resilience, but others questioned whether her public appearances felt too soon or were performative given that her husband had died just days earlier. .“She says her face was courageous and that’s why she was doing what she was doing,” the insider said.“I believe it was the evil eye. Everyone told him it was the evil eye, but he did it anyway.”“I know she’s mourning Charlie, we’re all mourning, but she has a weird way of showing it.”“Do I think she’s grieving enough? It’s not my job to say.”“But do I think she’s being treated badly? Yes.”“It’s very obvious and she’s finally starting to see how weird it all sounds. This is a good thing.”Her relationship with Vance has drawn attention before. At an event in October, a month after her husband’s death, the two embraced on stage for a long time as she told the audience: “No one can replace my husband, but I see some similarities to my husband in Vice President J.D. Vance.” The moment went viral and sparked debate online.