Just days before Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at a Utah Valley University speaking event, the feminist news website Jezebel published an article by a woman who claimed she hired witches on the online marketplace Etsy to invoke “multiple curses” against the conservative influencer.

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In the now-deleted Sept. 8 article, titled “We Paid Some Etsy Witches to Curse Charlie Kirk,” a woman named Claire Guinan claimed to reach out to self-described “witches” on the online marketplace Etsy in late August, and said she chatted with a “priestess” who said the curse would take between two to three weeks.

Kirk, 31, was killed Sept. 10.

After the assassination and ensuing backlash on social media, the outlet first appended an editor’s note condemning political violence before deleting the article “on the recommendation of our lawyers,” claiming it was intended to be satirical.

A CP review determined that in the weeks before Kirk’s assassination, multiple media outlets — including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and others — published articles detailing how one might go about soliciting witches for various purposes, including “casting spells” for anything from finding true love and career success to bringing harm upon one’s enemies.

Here are four media outlets that recently promoted the use of witchcraft.

1. The Washington Post – June 18, 2025

With the headline “Want to get rid of a toxic ex? Or curse someone? Hire an Etsy witch,” a Washington Post story in June cited the rising popularity of “WitchTok,” where videos on soliciting witchcraft services have over 30 billion views.

Claiming that “witchcraft has in some ways lost its taboo,” the article largely focuses on content creators identifying themselves as witches and their low-cost services on Etsy. “For $17, you can place an order for good luck. Repairing a relationship costs $5. To make someone feel guilty, you’ll need $9.99, and curses tend to start around $15,” the article states.

In addition to highlighting Lindsey Squire, a self-branded “witch of the forest” with over half a million followers on Instagram, the WaPo report shared a link to Squire’s books on “the history of witchcraft and the basics of spell-crafting.”

2. The Wall Street Journal – July 15, 2025

One of America’s most well-respected media outlets, The Wall Street Journal, reported in July on what it coined the “online cottage industry” of “witchcraft and spellwork,” and pointed to a May post from TikTok influencer Jaz Smith as the source of a trend where social media audiences try to “find Etsy witches of their own.”

“Magic practitioners sell on Instagram, Shopify and TikTok, but most customers say Etsy is their go-to,” the report states, adding that some online witches charge as much as $250 per spell cast.

One customer told the outlet, “Smith was his inspiration” for spending over $8 on an Etsy witch to “cast a spell on the New York Knicks ahead of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals in May.” After the Knicks won that game, the customer bought a second Knicks “spell” for $21, which proved unfruitful when the Knicks lost.

3. Time – Sept. 2, 2025

Juxtaposing the waning taboo surrounding witchcraft to the rise of illegal immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration, Time published a piece titled “Rise of the Etsy Witch” just eight days prior to Kirk’s shooting, which offered a “brief history of witchcraft.”

With a nod back to the Salem witch trials of the late 17th century, Time’s piece notes that while “hiring a witch was perceived to be an act against God,” that’s no longer the case.

Winding its way from the 19th century spiritism movement in Brazil to former first lady Mary Lincoln holding seances in the White House to communicate with her deceased son, the article highlights TikTok and other social media platforms as the driving force behind the mainstreaming of spiritism and witchcraft, even equating it to religious activity from God Himself.

“As the nation transitions out of wedding season into the fall, where witches will receive another boost of popularity in conjunction with Halloween, the practice of hiring a witch for services will remain,” the article states. “The Etsy witch is the latest iteration of people looking for assistance from the divine in a period of unrest.”

5. Business Insider – July 27, 2025

In a story on how to buy “extreme luck” from a witch on Etsy, a July piece by Business Insider focused on the growing popularity of the psychic industry, which is projected to reach $4.5 billion by 2033.

After messaging with a “witch for hire,” reporter Allie Kelly says for prices ranging from $4 to $400, she was offered spells that would increase her chances of “long-lasting beauty, a dream job, money, protection, warm weather, a perfect wedding, or a loyal sugar daddy.”

“Thirty-six hours after I submitted my order, my witch sent me photo proof that my spell had been cast: an altar with a brightly-lit green candle, some crystals, and a couple of tarot cards,” Kelly wrote.

The Business Insider piece also highlighted how more people are increasingly turning to witchcraft and other occult practices to find stability and sanctuary in their lives.

“Magic is among the things that people turn to when things are becoming uncontrollable, when things are becoming uncertain, when you know the normal methods you use to shore up your life and provide some certainty don’t seem to be working anymore,” the article stated.

How are you praying about witches and witchcraft in America? Share your prayers and scriptures below.

This article was originally published at The Christian Post. Photo Credit: Halanna Halila on Unsplash.