Turning Point conference opens in Phoenix without founder Charlie Kirk as Erika Kirk leads

PHOENIX — Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization built by Charlie Kirk, will convene its flagship conference in Phoenix on Thursday for the first time since the founder's death, testing the durability of a movement defined in large part by Trump-era energy and a charismatic leadership model.

Thousands are expected to attend the four-day gathering, which organizers say will feature Vice President JD Vance, a slate of media personalities, and several Trump administration alumni, along with Christian rock bands and pastors. The conference is also positioned as a tribute to Kirk, with Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, taking on a prominent leadership role as the organization seeks a steady path forward after his death.

Authorities say Tyler Robinson, 22, who is charged with shooting and killing Kirk while he spoke at Utah Valley University in September, acted alone and has not entered a plea. Prosecutors say he told his romantic partner that he killed Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.” The case has become a touchstone for a movement wrestling with questions about leadership, unity and the trajectory of a political coalition that helped propel Donald Trump back into the national spotlight.

The trauma of Kirk’s death has intensified a broader fissure inside the conservative movement about what the future should look like without the unifying figure who anchored Turning Point and, for many, the broader MAGA universe. Conservative commentators and organizers have warned that without a central, widely accepted leader, the movement could splinter into competing camps with different priorities and loyalties. Michael Knowles, a frequent Turning Point speaker, acknowledged the fragility of that balance in the weeks after Kirk’s death. “Charlie was the unifying figure for the movement,” Knowles said at a Turning Point event shortly after the tragedy. “The biggest threat right now is that without that single figure that we were all friends with, who could really hold it together, things could spin off in different directions.” We have to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Among the cleavages that have sharpened since Kirk’s death is how aggressively Republicans should pursue Israel and the Gaza war, and whether the movement should tolerate voices with anti-Jewish overtones. The Heritage Foundation’s Kevin Roberts drew scrutiny when he defended Tucker Carlson for an interview with Nick Fuentes, a podcaster whose followers have embraced white nationalist rhetoric. Roberts’ remarks drew pushback from Heritage staffers, lawmakers and conservative activists who argued that Carlson’s platform could amplify extremist viewpoints. Carlson and Ben Shapiro, both scheduled to speak on Thursday, are among the high-profile names whose appearances underscore the deep pool of influence within Turning Point.

Also roiling the conference is the question of conspiracy theories tied to Kirk’s death. Candace Owens, a former Turning Point employee who hosts a popular podcast, has asserted without evidence that Israeli spies were involved in the killing and that Kirk’s death was somehow engineered by people close to him. Owens’ comments prompted a sharp rebuke from Erika Kirk, who told CBS News during a town hall that Owens should “stop” spreading rumors that could taint the jury pool and undermine her husband’s murder investigation. Owens and Kirk later held what was described as a short-lived detente before a private meeting earlier this week.

Amid the turbulence, Erika Kirk has begun stepping into the public spotlight as Turning Point’s new leader. She spoke at Kirk’s funeral, publicly forgiving his alleged killer, and has since made appearances at Turning Point events, including a recent gathering in Mississippi. The former Miss Arizona USA of 2012 has built a career as an entrepreneur and media figure, founding a Christian clothing line, Proclaim, and a ministry that teaches about the Bible. Family has long been central to her public persona, and since her husband’s death she has emphasized a shared mission that she says will outlast his life.

Charlie and Erika Kirk described their marriage in interviews as one of shared purpose. At his memorial, Erika said, “Charlie and I were united in purpose. His passion was my passion, and now his mission is my mission. Everything that Turning Point USA built through Charlie’s vision and hard work, we will make 10 times greater through the power of his memory.”

The four-day event is expected to feel less like a traditional political rally and more like a blended culture-and-religion experience, a hallmark of Turning Point’s productions. The organization’s flagship events have long blended rock-concert production values with sermon-like addresses and discussions about political organization, religion and conservative critiques of American culture. The production style, which includes loud music, dramatic lighting and high-energy performers, remains a focal point for attendees who say it helps mobilize a younger audience that has often shied away from staid political gatherings.

And while the showmanship remains, the overarching question for Turning Point is whether it can sustain a sense of unity as it navigates a post-Kirk landscape. The party’s populist wing continues to debate the meaning of “America First” in a political environment where Trump’s re-entry into the public sphere is complicated by legal and procedural constraints. The conference, with its blend of lawmakers, media personalities and pastors, is a test case for whether the core appeal of Turning Point can endure without its charismatic founder.

In Phoenix, the crowd will also encounter a speaker lineup that reads like a who’s who of MAGA media: Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Jesse Watters, Steve Bannon, Ben Shapiro and Jack Posobiec. The presence of personalities who have openly feuded with one another in recent weeks underscores the balancing act required to keep a broad, ideologically diverse coalition focused on shared goals rather than personal rivalries. The event’s organizers have said the platform is designed to spur discussion about political organizing and to explore the role of religion and culture in shaping conservative activism.

As Turning Point moves forward, Erika Kirk’s leadership is seen as a litmus test for the organization’s ability to maintain its momentum while addressing internal disagreements and the thornier questions facing the movement. The four-day conference, with its production-heavy format and star-studded lineup, will serve as a barometer for how the movement positions itself in a new political era as it copes with the absence of its founder and the evolving priorities of its supporters.