By james art WellFormer President Donald Trump will continue his fight to win back Georgia with a rally on Wednesday, this time hosted by influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, 31, was recognized for co-founding and leading Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit that has reportedly raised tens of millions of dollars to push pro-Trump campaigns on college campuses. The Arizona-based organization, founded in 2012 by the then 18-year-old Kirk, gained traction, especially after Trump first took office in 2016, at which point the nonprofit became involved in the campaign. Turning Point now boasts operations in more than 3,500 colleges and high schools across America, according to the youth organization’s website.
According to June 2023 tax filings, Turning Point’s revenue has skyrocketed from $4.3 million in 2016 to $81.7 million in 2023.
Kirk’s work with Turning Point landed him on Forbes’ 2018 “30 under 30” list, led to his frequent appearances on Fox News, and gave him the opportunity to be the youngest speaker at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in 2016
In addition to his leadership at Turning Point, Kirk has built a large following with his podcast, The The Charlie Kirk Show. Well over 750 episodes, the show is currently ranked #7 on Apple News Podcasts and #10 on Spotify News and is known for its conservative take on Kirk’s liberal views. He is often in the news for his podcast comments, including an instance in January 2024 when he attacked the “myth” surrounding civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Later that month, he came under fire for saying on a podcast, “If I see a black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘boy, I hope he’s qualified.'” These comments drew strong responses from many, including black pilots .
First reported by RealClearPolitics, Kirk’s comments made him enemies at the Republican National Convention, including former RNC Chairwoman Rona McDaniel, who in 2023 Kirk said was planted by Democrats to “infiltrate” the Republican Party. McDaniel was reported to have told Trump about Kirk’s comments about MLK Jr.
While McDaniel is no longer the RNC chairman, Kirk’s influence remains a tool in Trump’s back pocket.
“Charlie Kirk helps. He has his army of young people. These are young patriots,” Trump said while speaking at the Turning Point Action conference in Detroit in June. “Thank you, Charlie.” Turning Point USA’s YouTube channel also posted videos of Kirk “destroying” or “closing[ting] down” students on “liberal” college campuses during his many lecture tours. Kirk is currently on the “You’re Being Brainwashed Tour,” where he visits college campuses in swing states to debate students, encouraging them to vote for Trump in November.