Turning Point USA grapples with leadership void and internal divisions one year after Charlie Kirk's death

Turning Point USA, the campus-focused conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, says it has added more than a million students to its network of high-school clubs and college chapters in the 2025-2026 school year. The group, however, acknowledges that it is dealing with “a confluence of challenges” as it seeks to replace Kirk’s personal appeal among Gen-Z activists.

Students such as Jacob York, a 21-year-old at Olivet Nazarene University, say Kirk’s death motivated them to start new chapters, while others, like 23-year-old Dino Fantegrossi, a former chapter leader at the University of Arkansas, have left to form alternative groups, citing uncertainty about how to channel youthful frustration.

"One of the big problems that has happened since Charlie's death is that I think a lot of the youth have kind of felt lost," Fantegrossi said.

Turning Point spokesperson Andrew Kolvet emphasized that the organization continues to expand, noting the record number of clubs and describing the current situation as both a challenge and an opportunity.

The movement also contends with broader Republican Party tensions. Support for President Donald Trump among voters under 35 has fallen from 92 % early in his second term to 57 % by April 2026, according to Pew Research Center, and issues such as the 2025 Iran conflict and U.S.–Israel policy have deepened intra-party splits.

Students like Hazel Roberts of Grand Canyon University recall Kirk’s emphasis on civil discourse and express concern that his absence has led to increased hostility within the right-wing campus community.

Misinformation surrounding Kirk’s assassination, amplified by right-wing commentators, has further damaged the organization’s credibility, according to Alex BirdSong, a Turning Point chapter president at Georgia State University.

"The conspiracies revolving around Charlie Kirk's assassination really tanked the credibility of Turning Point," he said.

Some chapter leaders, such as Max Williams of the University of Richmond, report a decline in enthusiasm for conservative organizing, attributing it to both Kirk’s death and waning support for the Trump administration.

Turning Point’s new leadership, including Erika Kirk, who succeeded her husband as CEO, and Vice President Vance, has shifted campus events toward keynote speakers rather than the debate-style formats Kirk favored, but attendance has been mixed.

The organization’s future appears tied to its ability to unify young conservatives around new leadership and address internal policy disagreements while navigating external political headwinds.