"For everyone who is new. Welcome home. Turning Point USA is your home, and we’re loving that you’re here."
minute read
Erika Kirk opened 2025’s Turning Point America Fest with statistics about this year’s attendees, revealing that of those in attendance, 80 percent are coming to a Turning Point USA event for the first time. This year’s event is the first held in the wake of founder Charlie Kirk’s death.
So Charlie loved to share AmFest states, so that’s what we’re going to do really quick. He would love for you guys to know that 80 percent of the attendees have never attended a TPUSA event before. So thank you. For everyone who is new. Welcome home. Turning Point USA is your home, and we’re loving that you’re here," Kirk said.
Kirk revealed that one-third of all attendees are students, 54 percent are female attendees, and that all fifty states and Puerto Rico, as well as 25 countries, were represented at the event.
She also revealed that since Kirk’s September assassination, the organization has received over 140,000 requests to get involved from students, and over one million students are now involved with the organization. She said that there are now 3,082 Club America chapters across the country as of Thursday, and 1,432 college chapters, coming to the total of 4,514 chapters across high school and college ages. She said that the organization is starting 50 chapters per day.
irk also announced future plans for Turning Point, including the 2026 Make Heaven Crowded Tour, which will visit cities across the nation. Kirk also noted that Turning Point USA now has over 8,000 church partnerships across the country. She announced that Turning Point would be returning to campuses in the spring and fall of 2026 and launching the Pick up the Mic Initiative, because "Charlie’s love for debate will always be the DNA of Turning Point USA."
She said that the organization is "locked in and mission focused for both 2026 and 2028," and that the organization is "investing in states, and not just in races."
"So what I mean by that is we are building the red wall. Arizona, Nevada, New Hampshire. That's going to be very important to us. We're going to ensure that President Trump has Congress for all four years. We are going to get my husband's friend JD Vance elected for 48 in the most resounding way possible."
Earlier in her speech, Kirk noted what she has learned in the months since the killing of her husband and being named CEO of Turning Point USA. "In the past three months. I have learned a lot," said Kirk. "You learn very quickly who is ready to go to war with you. You learn very quickly who thinks emotionally versus logically when you go through something as horrible that not only myself went through, but every single one of you in here that loved my husband. You find you who stays with you, who leaves. You find out a lot. You find out who's going to pray with you when there's no words left. And you also learn some unexpected things, like the fact that Joy Reid probably needs a really, really good hug, and honestly, I'm here for it. If she needs it. I got a good hug for you. Good hug for you. I'll even touch the back of your head.
"But here's what I've learned the most in these past three months, is that my husband, he deeply mattered on a multitude of levels, so much so that it proved even more once he was assassinated, how much of a peacemaker he was and how much of a coalition builder he was, because when he was assassinated, we saw infighting. We've seen fractures. We've seen bridges being burned that shouldn't be burnt. We saw it on full display. And what I knew as a wife, and I'm the same exact way as him, if you are trying to put up fight or flight mode, we're always fight mode. We don't retreat. Charlie would go wherever he needed to go. And I'm the same exact way, same exact way, and you'll learn that. You'll learn that about me, the more that you get to know me."
Kirk concluded her speech with a challenge: "Don’t just attend AmFest, let it mark you. Let it stretch you. Let it challenge assumptions, strengthen convictions, and maybe even make you a little uncomfortable, because that’s where growth happens, in those moments. Let it be another turning point in your life, another moment where you decide not to drift, not to disengage, not to give into cynicism, but to stand up boldly, to be brave, to speak clearly, because that is how we are going to honor Charlie. We are going to honor him, not just with words, but with action. So with that, welcome to AmFest.”
So Charlie loved to share AmFest states, so that’s what we’re going to do really quick. He would love for you guys to know that 80 percent of the attendees have never attended a TPUSA event before. So thank you. For everyone who is new. Welcome home. Turning Point USA is your home, and we’re loving that you’re here," Kirk said.
Kirk revealed that one-third of all attendees are students, 54 percent are female attendees, and that all fifty states and Puerto Rico, as well as 25 countries, were represented at the event.
She also revealed that since Kirk’s September assassination, the organization has received over 140,000 requests to get involved from students, and over one million students are now involved with the organization. She said that there are now 3,082 Club America chapters across the country as of Thursday, and 1,432 college chapters, coming to the total of 4,514 chapters across high school and college ages. She said that the organization is starting 50 chapters per day.
irk also announced future plans for Turning Point, including the 2026 Make Heaven Crowded Tour, which will visit cities across the nation. Kirk also noted that Turning Point USA now has over 8,000 church partnerships across the country. She announced that Turning Point would be returning to campuses in the spring and fall of 2026 and launching the Pick up the Mic Initiative, because "Charlie’s love for debate will always be the DNA of Turning Point USA."
She said that the organization is "locked in and mission focused for both 2026 and 2028," and that the organization is "investing in states, and not just in races."
"So what I mean by that is we are building the red wall. Arizona, Nevada, New Hampshire. That's going to be very important to us. We're going to ensure that President Trump has Congress for all four years. We are going to get my husband's friend JD Vance elected for 48 in the most resounding way possible."
Earlier in her speech, Kirk noted what she has learned in the months since the killing of her husband and being named CEO of Turning Point USA. "In the past three months. I have learned a lot," said Kirk. "You learn very quickly who is ready to go to war with you. You learn very quickly who thinks emotionally versus logically when you go through something as horrible that not only myself went through, but every single one of you in here that loved my husband. You find you who stays with you, who leaves. You find out a lot. You find out who's going to pray with you when there's no words left. And you also learn some unexpected things, like the fact that Joy Reid probably needs a really, really good hug, and honestly, I'm here for it. If she needs it. I got a good hug for you. Good hug for you. I'll even touch the back of your head.
"But here's what I've learned the most in these past three months, is that my husband, he deeply mattered on a multitude of levels, so much so that it proved even more once he was assassinated, how much of a peacemaker he was and how much of a coalition builder he was, because when he was assassinated, we saw infighting. We've seen fractures. We've seen bridges being burned that shouldn't be burnt. We saw it on full display. And what I knew as a wife, and I'm the same exact way as him, if you are trying to put up fight or flight mode, we're always fight mode. We don't retreat. Charlie would go wherever he needed to go. And I'm the same exact way, same exact way, and you'll learn that. You'll learn that about me, the more that you get to know me."
Kirk concluded her speech with a challenge: "Don’t just attend AmFest, let it mark you. Let it stretch you. Let it challenge assumptions, strengthen convictions, and maybe even make you a little uncomfortable, because that’s where growth happens, in those moments. Let it be another turning point in your life, another moment where you decide not to drift, not to disengage, not to give into cynicism, but to stand up boldly, to be brave, to speak clearly, because that is how we are going to honor Charlie. We are going to honor him, not just with words, but with action. So with that, welcome to AmFest.”
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