The group’s board announced on Thursday (Friday morning AEST) that Erika has been unanimously elected to be the group’s new CEO and board chair.

“In prior discussions, Charlie expressed to multiple executives that this is what he wanted in the event of his death,” the group said in a social media post announcing the decision.

The board members said in a statement they aim to carry on Charlie’s legacy.

“We will not surrender or kneel before evil,” the statement said.

“We will carry on. The attempt to destroy Charlie’s work will become out chance to make it more powerful and enduring than ever before.”

Charlie co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and transformed it into one of the most influential conservative organisations that was credited with galvanising youth toward Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.

Trump, who plans to attend Charlie’s memorial service Sunday in Arizona, said he could have been US president some day.

“I told him, I said, ‘Charlie, I think you have a good shot at someday being president’,” Trump told reporters during a press conference today alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Trump said the conservative activist was “heinously assassinated for speaking his mind.” He .

Kirk was gunned down on September 10 as he spoke with students at Utah Valley University and died soon after.

His accused killer, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.

He was also charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.