Career Timeline of Charlie Kirk: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Charlie Kirk built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Charlie Kirk is an American conservative political activist, author, and media personality. He co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in 2012 and serves as its executive director. He also holds executive positions in several related organizations, including Turning Point Action, Turning Point Academy, Turning Point Faith, and Turning Point Endowment. Kirk is a member of the Council for National Policy, demonstrating his involvement in conservative political circles.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2010: Volunteered for Mark Kirk's U.S. Senate Campaign

In 2010, during his junior year at Wheeling High School, Kirk volunteered for the successful U.S. Senate campaign of Illinois Republican Mark Kirk.

2012: Co-founded Turning Point USA

In 2012, Charles Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) with Bill Montgomery. Kirk serves as the executive director of TPUSA.

2012: Met Foster Friess at the Republican National Convention

In 2012, at the Republican National Convention, Kirk met Foster Friess, a prominent Republican donor, and persuaded him to finance Turning Point USA.

2012: Founded TPUSA

In 2012, influenced by Bill Montgomery, Kirk founded TPUSA, a conservative student organization. The organization quickly grew with backing from donors like Foster Friess.

October 2016: Participated in a pro-Trump Fox News event

In October 2016, Charlie Kirk participated in a Fox News event alongside Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Lara Trump, which was strongly pro-Donald Trump.

2016: Addressed the 2016 Republican National Convention

In 2016, Charlie Kirk addressed the Republican National Convention. Although he initially expressed reservations about Donald Trump, Kirk stated he would vote for him and believed Trump's candidacy presented challenges to Turning Point's mission. Ultimately, Kirk supported Trump and assisted with travel and media arrangements for Donald Trump Jr.

2016: Co-wrote the book "Time for a Turning Point"

In 2016, Charlie Kirk co-wrote, with Brent Hamachek, the book "Time for a Turning Point: Setting a Course Toward Free Markets and Limited Government for Future Generations", published by Simon & Schuster.

Time for a Turning Point: Setting a Course Toward Free Markets and Limited Government for Future Generations

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2017: Turning Point Endowment Inc. was formed

In 2017, Turning Point Endowment Inc. was formed to support and benefit Turning Point USA's charitable purposes and long-term vitality.

2018: Authored the book "Campus Battlefield"

In 2018, Charlie Kirk wrote the book "Campus Battlefield: How Conservatives Can WIN the Battle on Campus and Why It Matters", with the foreword written by Donald Trump Jr. The book received a negative review from Adam Rubenstein in The Weekly Standard.

May 2019: Reported Launch of Turning Point Action

In May 2019, it was reported that Kirk was preparing to launch Turning Point Action, a 501(c)(4) entity designed to target Democrats.

July 2019: Became chairman of Students for Trump

In July 2019, Charlie Kirk became the chairman of Students for Trump after it was acquired by Turning Point Action. He launched a campaign to recruit one million students for the 2020 Trump reelection campaign.

July 2019: Acquired Students for Trump

In July 2019, Kirk announced that Turning Point Action had acquired Students for Trump along with "all associated media assets".

November 2019: Co-founded the "Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty"

In November 2019, Charlie Kirk and Jerry Falwell Jr. co-founded the "Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty", a right-wing think-tank funded, owned, and housed by Liberty University.

2019: Founded Turning Point Action

In 2019, Kirk founded Turning Point Action, a political advocacy arm. Kirk also formed Turning Point Faith, aimed at mobilizing religious communities on conservative issues. Kirk also hosts "The Charlie Kirk Show,"

September 2020: William F. Buckley, Jr. Council Member

In September 2020, Kirk was the William F. Buckley, Jr. Council Member of the Council for National Policy (CNP).

October 2020: Began Hosting "The Charlie Kirk Show"

In October 2020, Kirk began hosting a daily three-hour radio talk show, called The Charlie Kirk Show, on Salem Media's "The Answer" radio channel.

2020: Published "The MAGA Doctrine"

In 2020, Charlie Kirk's book, "The MAGA Doctrine: The Only Ideas That Will Win the Future" was published.

2020: Unsuccessful effort to recruit one million students for Trump's reelection campaign

In 2020, Charlie Kirk's effort to recruit one million students for the Trump reelection campaign proved unsuccessful, leading to TPUSA and the Trump campaign blaming each other for a decline in youth support for Trump.

2020: Trump Reelection Campaign

In 2020, Kirk launched a campaign to recruit one million students for the Trump reelection campaign. The unsuccessful effort led to TPUSA and the Trump campaign blaming each other for an overall decline in youth support for Trump.

December 7, 2021: The Charlie Kirk Show podcast ranked 21st most popular

As of December 7, 2021, "The Charlie Kirk Show" podcast was ranked as the 21st most popular podcast on Apple Podcasts.

2021: TPUSA announced Turning Point Academy

In 2021, TPUSA announced an online academy targeted towards students in schools "poisoning our youth with anti-American ideas".

2021: Founded Turning Point Faith

In 2021, after Liberty University did not renew Kirk's contract with the Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty, Kirk founded Turning Point Faith, an organization dedicated to "recruit pastors and other church leaders to be active in local and national political issues."

2022: Published "The College Scam"

In 2022, Charlie Kirk's fourth book, "The College Scam: How America's Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing Away the Future of America's Youth" was published.

The College Scam: How America's Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing Away the Future of America's Youth

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2022: Partnership with StrongMind ended

In 2022, the partnership between Turning Point USA and Arizona education firm StrongMind ended after StrongMind received backlash from its own employees. StrongMind had initially partnered with TPUSA with plans to open the Turning Point Academy by the fall of 2022.

2024: Released "Right Wing Revolution"

In 2024, Charlie Kirk's book, "Right Wing Revolution: How to Beat the Woke and Save the West" was released.

Right Wing Revolution: How to Beat the Woke and Save the West

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2024: Podcast Download Statistics

In 2024, NBC News reported that Kirk's podcast is being downloaded between 500,000 and 750,000 times each day. It is currently ranked No. 13 on Apple Podcasts for news.

2024: "You're being brainwashed" Tour

Prior to the 2024 presidential election Charlie Kirk visited around 25 college campuses labeled as the "You're being brainwashed" tour, trying to stir up more gen-Z voter turnout by where he would engage/debate with students on many different relevant topics.