Charles James Kirk (October 14, 1993 – September 10, 2025) was an American political activist, author, and media personality. He co-founded the conservative student organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in 2012 and was its executive director. He was the chief executive officer of Turning Point Action (TPAction) and a member of the Council for National Policy (CNP). In his later years, he was one of the most prominent voices of the populist MAGA movement and exemplified the growth of Christian nationalism in the Republican Party.
Kirk was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs of Arlington Heights and Prospect Heights. He briefly attended Harper College before leaving to pursue political activism full-time. Under his leadership, TPUSA developed several affiliate groups, including Turning Point Action and Turning Point Faith, the latter aimed at mobilizing religious communities around conservative issues. Kirk also hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a conservative talk radio program.
Kirk expanded TPUSA’s influence through initiatives such as the Professor Watchlist and School Board Watchlist, which critics have said sought to fire or silence professors and educators through targeted harassment campaigns for sharing opinions Turning Point opposed. A key ally of Donald Trump, Kirk promoted right-wing and Trump-aligned causes. He espoused a variety of controversial views, especially regarding his support for gun rights; his opposition to abortion and LGBTQ rights; his criticism of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Martin Luther King Jr.; and his promotion of Christian nationalism, COVID-19 misinformation, the Great Replacement conspiracy theory, and false claims of electoral fraud in 2020.
On September 10, 2025, Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a Turning Point USA public debate event on the Utah Valley University campus. His death gained international attention and led to the condemnation by prominent domestic and international figures.
