Turning Point USA expanded its campus network substantially in the year since Charlie Kirk was assassinated, while polling shows falling approval for Donald Trump among young men and rising economic and foreign‑policy dissatisfaction among younger voters.
Turning Point USA reports major growth after Kirk’s death: 3,500 high school chapters (up 180%) and 1,500 college chapters (up more than 60%).
Economic strain and the US‑Iran war are major factors: half of 18–29‑year‑olds said inflation affected them “a lot,” and Moody’s estimates the Iran war added about $750 to household expenses.
Young people are divided on foreign policy: one YouGov/Economist poll found only 16% of young people supported US military action in Iran, and debates over Israel policy are growing inside TPUSA.
One year after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, the organisation he co‑founded, Turning Point USA (TPUSA), reports a sharp expansion of its campus footprint. At the same time, polling suggests younger voters—especially young men—are less positive about President Donald Trump than they were during the 2024 campaign.
What changed inside Turning Point USA
Turning Point says it now supports more than 3,500 high school chapters, a 180 percent increase since Kirk's death, and more than 1,500 college chapters, a gain of over 60 percent. The organisation is marking the anniversary with a memorial at Utah Valley University and with events at the Republican Party's first midterm convention in Dallas.
Young voter attitudes and Trump's standing
Economic and foreign‑policy drivers
Foreign policy is also shaping youth opinion. A YouGov/Economist poll found only 16 percent of young people believed US military action in Iran was the right decision. Within TPUSA, debates about US support for Israel have intensified, creating internal disagreements alongside the organisation's outward expansion.
Practical implications for the midterms
TPUSA's larger high school and college networks give Republicans an organised channel to mobilise younger voters ahead of the November 3 congressional midterms. That network could help register, persuade, and turn out young conservative voters on campus.
At the same time, economic frustration and opposition to expanded military engagement appear to be eroding some of Trump's appeal among younger men. That tension—between an activated conservative youth infrastructure and broader youth discontent over pocketbook issues and foreign wars—will shape how much TPUSA's growth translates into votes.
Turning Point will hold a memorial at Utah Valley University on the one‑year anniversary of Kirk's assassination and will honour him at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. These events will serve as focal points for TPUSA's organizing and messaging in the run‑up to the midterms.
TPUSA has expanded its campus presence substantially since Kirk's death, creating organisational capacity to engage young voters. Polling and economic data show, however, that younger voters face financial strain and are skeptical of new military action, trends that have coincided with waning approval for Trump among young men. How these dynamics balance out in November will depend on whether TPUSA's activism can overcome the economic and foreign‑policy anxieties shaping youth attitudes.
The death of Charlie Kirk was seen as a rallying call for young conservatives. One year later, the movement is wrestling with questions about its future.
The death of Charlie Kirk was seen as a rallying call for young conservatives. But as his supporters reflect on the past year, some paint a more complicated picture of the organization he left behind.
In the aftermath of Kirk's death, Turning Point has faced some headwinds, including conservative influencers warring over his legacy.
Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the murder of beloved conservative leader Charlie Kirk. Kirk was just 31 years old on September 10, 2025, when he was shot and killed on the campus of Utah Valley University. 'The movement my husband built will not die. It won't. I refuse to let that happen.' The UVU event was
A year after the killing of the 31-year-old conservative youth leader, the movement he helped create has splintered. Would that be the case if he were still alive?
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