Charlie Kirk and The Character Behind Communication

Nathan Warrell

October 15, 2025

Charlie Kirk was an icon within the political community, gaining international recognition and a career with countless milestones crossed. At the age eighteen, Kirk dropped out of his local Arizona community college to co-found the conservative Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a non-profit organization that would campaign for Republican candidates on local, state, and national levels amongst the American youth, particularly within college campuses. It was at these campuses that Kirk would gain fame and rise to national prominence through publicized debates, inviting students to “prove him wrong” and engage in open dialogue about contemporary issues [3]. Amidst a highly polarized political environment following Charlie Kirk’s sudden assassination on September 10, 2025 while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University, it is more important now than ever to honor his legacy as a defender of free speech. Kirk’s efforts serve as evidence that grassroots efforts, cemented in the principles of free speech, can be tremendously effective in garnering support, and his method of discussion and dialogue with his political dissenters will endure long after his death.

Grassroots

There is no doubt Kirk energized the youth in regard to political activism more than any of his contemporaries, encouraging college students to support conservative fiscal policies through dialogue and grassroots efforts. Despite defeat in the 2020 election, Kirk was undeterred and would double down on his methods, believing that conversation is key to understanding the opposite isle. Kirk would announce four nationwide tours, all targeted toward young voters and with the goal of reaching a consensus on common sense policies, while often commenting on culture war issues. He engaged with thousands of college students across the country on a mission to understand, discuss, and recruit voters to turn to the GOP in the midst of an unpopular Biden Administration. Many of these events were subsequently posted on various social media platforms, reaching a wider audience connecting non-students to Kirk’s message in a way that was previously not possible.

This strategy of grassroots engagement and discussion paired with a newfound media presence and increasing recognition worked tremendously, playing a role in Donald Trump’s 2024 commanding victory. During the 2024 campaign, a TPUSA affiliated organization, Turning Point Action (TPA), began the “Chase the Vote” initiative which aimed to make connections with people in swing states [1]. The goal of this initiative was to engage and register young adults, many of whom had no political background or affiliation. This plan worked exceedingly well, as TPA claims to have connected and registered over four-hundred thousand individuals in key states. In 2020, 61% of voters under thirty years of age opted for Joe Biden. This number plummets ten percent in 2024, no doubt in part due to Kirk’s engagement with the nation’s youth. This serves as evidence that free speech does indeed work to change the minds of individuals and can have effects many thought were not possible. After Kirk’s death, Vice President J.D. Vance took to X, praising Kirk for the success of the 2024 election, crediting him for his “ability to organize and convene” and his outreach, which played a significant role in Vance holding the office he currently does [8]. Vance recognized the favorable consequences of free speech and the impact it has on the nation. It is through open dialogue, discussion, and debate that Kirk was able to win the minds and hearts of, historically, the most liberal demographic, and transformed them into a vocal powerhouse of the nation’s electorate.

Of course, the role of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) cannot be ignored as one of the critical factors to his success. Kirk, with the support of entrepreneur and Tea Party member Bill Montgomery, dropped out of his local Arizona college and founded TPUSA. From there, Kirk would spend every opportunity raising awareness for his message and his organization, gaining support from others within the Republican Party [3]. From these connections, Kirk would become the youngest person to speak at the Republican National Convention at just twenty-three years old. With newfound support from his party, TPUSA turned to college campuses, sprouting over nine-thousand new chapters at universities across the country [4]

What comes next

Many young students, particularly young men, saw Kirk as both as an inspiration and a role model for navigating the realm of politics. Many conservatives saw Kirk as a spokesperson, daring to speak for them in an environment where they believed they would otherwise be punished and marginalized for their views. It is important to remember that Kirk spoke in favor of discussion and a culture of open debate in opposition to shouting, protesting, and harm. Kirk did not speak out in favor of violence, but engraved himself as a man of faith and family. His peaceful and civil methods saw appreciable success and was beloved by many. In the wake of his assassination, many of these young men may now feel they have no one to speak for them. The concern is these men will turn to political extremism, as the leader of discussion and free speech found himself a cruel end.

This fear is not unwarranted, as in the day after Kirk’s assassination, several Historically Black colleges and universities found themselves the targets of bomb and shooter threats, no doubt stemming from right-wing anger [2]. Although no threats were deemed credible and no injuries were reported, this acts as a potential precursor to the effects of political violence. Moreover, many far-right activists and political commentators have used this event to further their own agendas while gaining newfound support in Kirk’s absence [5]. The continuation, endorsement, or any pardon of political violence cannot be tolerated if democracy is to persist.

There must be a consensus amongst individuals to condemn violence of all kinds and promote the ideals in which Kirk was murdered for: free speech, open discussion, and human interactions between the dissidents on both sides of the political aisle. All aspects of government policy must support the open discourse and deliberation of views in order to prevent the violence and radicalism that follows a culture of close-mindedness. The current Congress has overstepped its legislative role by proposing the implementation of multiple laws that challenge protected activities under the First Amendment and introduce punishment for individuals expressing views that are currently Constitutionally protected.

One such bill, entitled the Department of State Policy Provisions Act, would allow the U.S. State Department to confiscate passports of both foreign nationals and United States Citizens under the guise of anti-terrorism. Terrorism is never actually defined within the bill, and critics of the bill point out reasonable concerns of government oversight and the wrongful confiscation of documentation of American citizens [6]. Another bill, the Anti-Boycott Act, would criminalize boycotts of foreign nations if the United States government deems them “friendly,” blatantly disregarding the First Amendment protected right to protest. The punishment ranges from fines starting at three-hundred thousand dollars to a twenty year prison sentence. Both bills remain in committee [7, 9].

The preservation and encouragement of the first amendment must be prioritized in this nation through protective legislation, not repressive bills that tear down the rights of the American. It is essential for the safeguarding of democracy that free speech and open dialogue is continued long after the death of Charlie Kirk. His death must not mean the end of constructive interchange between Americans. Open discussion prevents radicalization and corruption of the nation’s youth, while simultaneously building a culture of belonging and patriotism. Charlie leaves behind a legacy of free speech and communication, and serves as a reminder that political violence can not be allowed prevail under democracy.

Photo Credits: By Gage Skidmore – https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/54670961811/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=172612326

Works Cited

[1] “Chase the Vote Initiative.” 2025. Turning Point Action.

https://www.tpaction.com/chasethevote.

[2] Cline, Sara. 2025. “Heightened security and canceled classes at Black universities after

threats.” AP News.

https://apnews.com/article/threat-hbcu-lockdown-charlie-kirk-university-school-threats-9bbb5a4

4eb3c1d9de1fd2b0e298ce452.

[3] Gorka, Sebastian. n.d. “About – TPUSA.” TPUSA. Accessed September 25, 2025.

https://tpusa.com/about/.

[4] Koch, Alexandra. 2025. “Charlie Kirk’s wife sparks massive Turning Point USA growth

surge.” Fox News.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/erika-kirks-first-speech-since-husbands-assassination-sparks-massive-tpusa-chapter-surge-nationwide.