‘We are not afraid’: Erika Kirk vows TPUSA will continue campus debates nationwide

Erika Kirk says Charlie Kirk’s memorial service strengthened a faith revival

Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk joins 'Fox News Sunday' to reflect on Charlie Kirk's powerful memorial service, carrying on his legacy and her relationship with God after his assassination.

Erika Kirk, the widow of the late Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday" that the organization intends to resume its nationwide presence on college campuses.

"We are not afraid," she said, adding that the TPUSA team will continue to host "Prove Me Wrong"–style debates as part of its campus outreach.

ERIKA KIRK DOUBLES DOWN TO FIGHT FOR CHARLIE'S LEGACY: ‘I’M NOT AFRAID

 Erika Kirk, widow of late right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, speaks at Turning Point's annual AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Arizona on December 18, 2025. (Olivier Touron/AFP/Getty Images)

Charlie Kirk was assassinated during an outdoor event on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. The gathering marked the first stop on TPUSA’s planned "American Comeback Tour," and at first, nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

The charismatic TPUSA founder rose to prominence through his signature political debates on college campuses. Moments before the fatal shot, he sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan "Prove Me Wrong," fielding open-mic questions from thousands in attendance.

CHARLIE KIRK HONORED BY 90K IN ONE OF THE LARGEST MEMORIALS FOR A PRIVATE CITIZEN

Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd after arriving at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

His death left behind a movement that reshaped conservative youth politics — one that his widow, Erika Kirk, told Bream she intends to carry forward.

Charlie Kirk began building that movement as a teenager. At 18, Kirk dropped out of community college to co-found Turning Point USA (TPUSA). 

By his mid-20s, he became the youngest speaker at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and a household name in conservative circles. By 31, he commanded a $95 million political empire, galvanized millions of followers online and established a direct line to President Donald Trump.

TPUSA BEGAN AS A SCRAPPY CAMPUS GROUP AND GREW INTO A NATIONAL, MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR POLITICAL FORCE

Charlie Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, was killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

With backing from Republican donors like Foster Friess, Kirk turned the scrappy campus operation into one of the fastest-growing conservative nonprofits in America. Today, it’s a political juggernaut — its revenue, according to tax filings, soared from just $2 million in 2015 to $85 million in 2024.

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That legacy, carried forward by his widow, comes as the organization sees a surge in campus chapter enrollments, signaling continued momentum among conservative students nationwide.

Amanda covers the intersection of business and geopolitics for Fox News Digital.