The fatal shooting by a conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025 during a speech at Utah Valley University has drawn widespread criticism and renewed attention to political violence in the United States. Kirk was more than just a partisan commentator to many.
He was one the most prominent leaders of the young conservative movement. Kirk shaped Republican politics in college campuses, media, and President Donald Trump’s alliance.
Understanding the significance of this attack and why there have been such strong reactions is easier if you know Kirk, the values he built his organization on, and what role he, along with his allies, played in the national debate.
Turning Point USA founder
Charlie Kirk is a conservative author, media personality and activist . He rose to prominence at an unusually young age.
He was born in Chicago suburbs and made headlines when he founded Turning Point USA a conservative youth group at the age of 18. Kirk attended college for a short time. He chose instead to dedicate himself to conservatism.
This decision was central to the mythos that surrounded him. He represented the choice of young conservatives who wanted to forgo higher education to protest against the alleged leftist bias of universities.
Kirk became a national icon over the next decade. In 2016, Kirk began to speak at Trump rallies. This helped him build a large media profile.
According to Turning Point, he has had his podcast ” the Charlie Kirk Show ” downloaded more than 120,000,000 times in the last 10 months.
Kirk’s show featured political commentary, interviews, and prominent Republican personalities. Guests included Tucker Carlson and Florida Governor. Ron DeSantis. Kirk’s impact was amplified by these conversations.
Students and Republicans can connect through college
Turning Point USA, founded by Bill Montgomery and Kirk Montgomery in 2012 . Kirk and Montgomery met after Kirk’s speech at the conservative youth summit held in Illinois. Montgomery encouraged him to not pursue college, but instead to dedicate himself fully to the building of a youth conservative group.
Kirk described <a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/04/06/trump-young-conservatives-college-charlie-kirk-turning-point-usa-217829/#:%7E:text=On%20the%20day%20of%20the,businesses%2C%20is%20easy%20to%20see. The early days were lonely, with Kirk driving to campuses and handing out flyers to students.
Turning Point received significant financial support from prominent conservative donors including Foster Friess of Wyoming, the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, and Illinois businessman Richard Uihlein and the family foundation.
Turning Point will have chapters on more than 1,000 campuses by 2024. It will employ more than 400 people and its budget will be over US$8,000,000.
Turning Point’s most notable event is its large-scale conference. The Student Action Summit, held in Florida, regularly attracts between 4,000-5,000 students. It has also featured GOP heavyweights such as Donald Trump Jr. or Texas Senator Ted Cruz. The 2022 AmericaFest in Phoenix attracted over 10,000 attendees.
The group’s Profesor Watchlist website is the most controversial, as it publishes names of academics that they accuse of being biased against conservatives.
Turning Point also spun-off subsidiaries with similar values, such as Turning Point Faith and Turning Point action . These organizations extend Turning Point’s reach in electoral politics and church organization. TPUSA’s media division creates a constant stream of videos, podcasts, and livestreams. This legacy should ensure Kirk’s influence will last despite his passing.
Turning Point expands its national role
Kirk and Turning Point made important connections between younger conservatives and Republicans. Turning Point mobilized students to support Trump’s 2016 campaign. Kirk was also invited to speak at RNC.
By 2020, Turning Point Action was taking a more political role. Turning Point Action sponsored buses and advertisements to bring supporters from battleground states to Washington, D.C., in advance of the “Stop the Steal”, Jan. 6, 2020 rally. Kirk tweeted that Turning Point was sending “80+ buses of patriots” for the event.
Although he deleted the message later and distanced himself, the incident highlighted the group’s involvement in some of the most controversial moments during the Trump era.
Kirk was also a important media surrogate to Trump. He used his speaking tours, podcasts, and social media to promote Trump’s message. He was a persistent proponent of Trump’s baseless allegations of voter fraud during the 2020 election.
Inflaming tensions by spreading misinformation
Kirk’s critics argued that he thrived more on anger and intimidation than debate.
Faculty associations have denounced the Professor Watchlist as a blacklist which chills academic freedom. Investigative journalism by outlets like The New Yorker has raised questions about Turning Point’s finances.
Kirk was criticised for spreading misinformation. This included false claims about voter fraud during the 2020 elections and statements that were misleading regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and mask mandates. He claimed that public-health measures were a way for the government to control people, a rhetoric that experts say undermines trust in a time of crisis.
His sharp attacks against political opponents, which he described as not only wrong but dangerous, drew allegations that he had fueled polarization on American colleges campuses and elsewhere.
This story has been corrected to show the correct state of Illinois where Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery met.
Stephanie A. (Sam Martin) has not disclosed any relevant affiliations other than their academic appointment. They do not consult for, own shares or receive funding from, or work for any company that would benefit from the article.
