Turning Point USA leaders say they’re determined to continue Charlie Kirk’s mission after he was killed by an assassin’s bullet.
That includes raising money to grow the organization he founded as a teenager and cultivated into a political powerhouse.
“The movement my husband built will not die. It won’t. I refuse to let that happen,” Erika Kirk, the wife of the slain activist, said in a speech from his podcast studio days after he died. “It will not die. All of us will refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name.”
The Turning Point machine has not shut off, and that’s by design. Kirk’s family and friends say it is particularly important to carry on his work because of the way he died.
Kirk, the father of two young children, was shot and killed during a Sept. 10 political event on the Utah Valley University campus. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, has called Kirk’s slaying a political assassination. Kirk’s alleged killer, Utah man Tyler Robinson, was charged with murder.
Days after Kirk was killed, Turning Point began sending fundraising pitches that blended honoring the conservative activist with funding his political organization.
“Erika Kirk: I refuse to let the movement Charlie built die. It will only grow — stronger, bolder, louder. Join me,” read a Sept. 14 text signed by Kirk’s wife, with a link to a fundraising page suggesting donations from $25 to $100,000.
President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., sent another fundraising plea on Sept. 17. The message included a photo of Kirk and the younger Trump on a trip to Greenland.
“Hi, Don Jr. here. We all just lost a leader, a fighter, and a man whose character and conviction were rare. And I lost a brother. Charlie may no longer stand with us in the fight. But his memory will,” the text said. “Let’s make sure his voice is never silenced, never forgotten. Will you give now in Charlie’s honor.”
Turning Point has also converted its website into a memorial for Kirk — with a prominent donation button.
“CHARLIE’S VISION. AMERICA’S FUTURE. THE FIGHT CONTINUES,” text reads atop a donation button. Upon clicking the link, the website suggests donation amounts ranging from $50 to $50,000.
The push to raise money underscores how crucial fundraising is to the operation that Kirk built. His group was credited with boosting turnout for Trump in 2024, and Kirk was a close ally of the president.
Turning Point USA also was promoting Kirk’s Sept. 21 memorial at State Farm Stadium through Facebook ads and on billboards in the Phoenix area. Thousands were expected to attend the memorial, which will feature speeches from Erika Kirk, Trump and top government officials.
A fundraising and social-media juggernaut
Kirk was the architect and face of Turning Point USA and its affiliate groups. The 31-year-old activist and vocal Christian reached millions through his social media channels, viral videos and talk show. He was known for debating his conservative, and often controversial, views about issues including abortion, race, guns and LGBTQ rights.
Kirk became so well known that he was parodied on “South Park” earlier this year.
Turning Point became a fundraising juggernaut under Kirk’s leadership. The group reported $85 million in revenue in 2024, according to financial records, and has taken in nearly $400 million since it was created.
Spokesperson Andrew Kolvet declined to comment on how much money the organization had raised after Kirk’s death, but said he was heartened by the number of people paying tribute to Kirk.
“To see the outpouring of love and support, and to see people going back to church and praying and doing candlelight vigils and paying tribute to him in all these creative, magnificent, wonderful ways, has been so, so amazing. And I think it’s a real testament to his life and his legacy,” Kolvet said.
The organization has released other data that shows the influx Turning Point has experienced since Kirk died.Officials say it has received more than 54,000 inquiries this week to start new chapters. Tyler Bowyer, Turning Point chief operating officer, said more than 520,000 items of merchandise have been sold since Sept. 10, and more than 15,000 tickets to the organization’s “AmericaFest” conference in Phoenix. Tickets to the December event range from $50 to $800.
Fundraisers for Kirk’s family have pulled in more than $7 million, online donation pages show.
One fundraiser, organized by the nicotine pouch company Alp, raised $5.3 million as of Sept. 17. Alp is a joint venture of the Tucker Carlson Network and Turning Point Brands and donated $1 million to the fund.
Another family fundraiser, which Turning Point links to on its website, has raised $2 million.
Social media reach grows after Kirk’s death
Turning Point and its leaders have also grown their social media reach. Millions of people started following Kirk’s accounts and Turning Point in the days after the assassination.
Turning Point has used that megaphone to lead the conversation about Kirk’s legacy. His podcast has continued broadcasting in the days after his death with the help of guest hosts such as Vice President JD Vance and conservative commentator Glenn Beck.
“The movement that Charlie started has to keep going. We have to build upon it. We have to add to it,” Vance said as a guest host on “The Charlie Kirk Show.” Vance accompanied Kirk’s body from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two and will deliver remarks at his Sept. 21 memorial.
Controversy over late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about Kirk also led to a request for money.
Broadcast behemoth Sinclair, the nation’s largest ABC affiliate group, said it would not air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after Kimmel suggested Kirk’s killer was aligned with the “MAGA gang” and that the political right was trying to “score political points” from the shooting.
Sinclair said it would “indefinitely preempt” the show and called on Kimmel to apologize and make a “meaningful personal donation” to the Kirk family and to Turning Point USA.
ABC announced Sept. 17 it was pulling Kimmel’s show from the air “indefinitely.”
Turning Point has also designed several T-shirts to honor Kirk, which are available for sale on the organization’s online store.
One shirt pairs an illustration of Kirk with the scripture “Here I am Lord, send me.” Another “limited edition tee” shows an illustration of Kirk on the day that he died, tossing red and white baseball caps into the crowd.
“THIS IS OUR TURNING POINT,” the shirt reads, along with the date he was killed.
A third shirt features an illustration of Kirk walking beside his wife and children, with a halo atop his head. Each costs $35.
“The halo detail and script ‘Love, An American Mother’ add a heartfelt touch that makes this more than just a shirt—it’s a symbol of hope and remembrance,” the listing says.
Shipping may take up to 12 weeks “due to the overwhelming support for Charlie and his mission,” the website says.
Stephanie Murray covers national politics and the Trump administration for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach her via email at [email protected] and on social media @stephanie_murr.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ‘In Charlie’s honor’: Turning Point raises cash after Kirk’s slaying
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