Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Charlie Kirk

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Charlie Kirk.

Charlie Kirk is a prominent American conservative activist, author, and media figure. He co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in 2012 and currently serves as its executive director. He holds leadership positions in several related organizations, including CEO of Turning Point Action, Turning Point Academy, and Turning Point Faith, as well as president of Turning Point Endowment. Additionally, he is a member of the Council for National Policy. Kirk's work primarily focuses on promoting conservative principles and engaging young people in politics.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964

In December 2023, Charlie Kirk called the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 a "huge mistake".

July 7, 2018: False Claim About Human Trafficking Arrests

On July 7, 2018, Charlie Kirk falsely claimed on social media that Justice Department statistics showed an increase in human trafficking arrests.

December 2018: False Claim About French Protesters

In December 2018, Charlie Kirk falsely claimed that protesters in the French yellow vests movement chanted "We want Trump."

October 2019: Claimed he Never Spoke About West Point

At a New Hampshire Turning Point event featuring Rand Paul in October 2019, Charlie Kirk claimed that he never said he applied to West Point and that a less-qualified candidate got his spot.

August 2020: Commented on the impact of campus closures on voter fraud

In August 2020, at a Council for National Policy meeting, Charlie Kirk stated that Democrats shutting down college campuses would reduce ballot harvesting opportunities and voter fraud, potentially removing half a million votes.

November 5, 2020: Led Stop the Steal Protest in Phoenix

On November 5, 2020, immediately after Donald Trump lost the presidential election, Charlie Kirk led a Stop the Steal protest at the Maricopa Tabulation Center in Phoenix, Arizona, promoting false claims of election fraud.

2020: ProPublica Investigation

In 2020, ProPublica investigated the finances of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) and reported on "misleading financial claims," an increase in Kirk's salary, and his purchase of a condo in Longboat Key, Florida.

January 5, 2021: Organized Buses to D.C. Protest

On January 5, 2021, the day before the storming of the United States Capitol, Charlie Kirk announced on Twitter that Turning Point Action and Students for Trump were sending buses to D.C. to support President Trump. Julie Fancelli donated $1.25 million to fund the buses, and Kirk paid $60,000 for Kimberly Guilfoyle to speak at the Trump rally.

May 2021: Urged parents to protest mask mandates and critical race theory in schools

In May 2021, Charlie Kirk tweeted encouraging parents to protest at school board meetings, urging them to push back on mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory.

July 2021: Promoted Misleading Claims About COVID-19 Vaccines

In July 2021, Charlie Kirk promoted misleading claims regarding the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. During an appearance on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News, Kirk referred to student vaccine mandates as "medical apartheid".

October 5, 2021: Comments About George Floyd and January 6 Riot

On October 5, 2021, during the Minnesota leg of the "Exposing Critical Racism Tour," Charlie Kirk called George Floyd a "scumbag" and appeared to refer to the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

October 2021: "Exposing Critical Racism Tour"

In October 2021, Charlie Kirk began the "Exposing Critical Racism Tour" of campuses to "fight racist theories".

November 2021: Advocating State Power Against Critical Race Theory

In November 2021, in a Fox News article, Charlie Kirk wrote that state power should be used to stop teachers from indoctrinating children with critical race theory.

February 2022: Characterized Russia-Ukraine Conflict as Border Dispute

In February 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Charlie Kirk described the conflict as a "border dispute" and disseminated false claims from Russian state media that Ukraine was firing mortar shells at a Russian separatist enclave.

February 2022: Remarks at CPAC 2022 on Southern Border

In February 2022, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Charlie Kirk stated, "The southern border matters a lot more than the Ukrainian border," and advocated for Republican leaders to describe the situation at the southern border as an invasion.

2022: Twitter Account Flagged for Non-Amplification

In 2022, journalist Bari Weiss released a report of internal Twitter documents, alleging that Twitter was censoring conservative personalities. According to Rolling Stone, Charlie Kirk's Twitter account was flagged under "do not amplify", meaning the algorithm would not highlight his tweets.

February 2023: Brookings Institution Study on Podcast

In February 2023, a Brookings Institution study found that Charlie Kirk's podcast contained the second-highest proportion of false, misleading, and unsubstantiated statements among 36,603 episodes produced by 79 prominent political podcasters.

December 2023: Criticism of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Act of 1964

In December 2023, Charlie Kirk criticized Martin Luther King Jr. at AmericaFest and called the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 a "huge mistake".

January 2024: Claims on Martin Luther King Jr.

In January 2024, Charlie Kirk claimed that a "myth" had been created around Martin Luther King Jr. and responded to accusations that he was undermining King and the Voting Rights Act.

2024: NBC News Report on Shift in LGBT Views

According to a 2024 NBC News report, Charlie Kirk, who had previously held more secular views on LGBT issues around 2018, shifted towards more socially conservative stances and began arguing against gay marriage, citing an "LGBTQ agenda".

2024: Comments on DEI Programs and Black Pilots

In January 2024, Charlie Kirk blamed DEI programs for national aviation issues and commented on Black pilots, leading to conflict with the Republican National Committee.