History of Charlie Kirk in Timeline

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".

October 14, 1993: Charles Kirk's Birth

On October 14, 1993, Charles James Kirk was born. He is an American conservative political activist, author, and media personality.

2010: Volunteering for Mark Kirk's Senate Campaign

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

2012: Meeting Foster Friess at the Republican National Convention

At the 2012 Republican National Convention, Charlie Kirk met Foster Friess, a prominent Republican donor, and persuaded him to finance Turning Point USA (TPUSA).

2012: Co-founding Turning Point USA

In 2012, Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) at the age of 18, becoming its CEO, chief fundraiser, and public face.

2012: Turning Point USA Founded

In 2012, Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a conservative student organization.

October 2016: Participated in Pro-Trump Fox News Event

In October 2016, Charlie Kirk participated in a Fox News event with Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Lara Trump, which had a pro-Donald Trump slant.

2016: Addressed Republican National Convention

In 2016, Charlie Kirk addressed the Republican National Convention and stated that although he wasn't a big fan of Donald Trump, he would still vote for him. Kirk also assisted with travel and media arrangements for Donald Trump Jr. during the campaign.

2016: Co-Authored 'Time for a Turning Point'

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

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

Check it on Amazon

2017: Turning Point Endowment Inc. Formed

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

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."

May 2019: Preparing to Launch Turning Point Action

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

July 2019: Acquisition of Students for Trump

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

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.

November 2019: Co-founded 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: Turning Point Action Founded

In 2019, Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point Action, a political advocacy arm, expanding his influence.

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.

September 2020: Council for National Policy Member

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

October 2020: The Charlie Kirk Show

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

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.

2020: Trump Reelection Campaign

In 2020, after acquiring Students for Trump in July 2019, Charlie Kirk launched a campaign to recruit one million students for the 2020 Trump reelection campaign, which was ultimately unsuccessful.

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.

February 2021: CNP Membership Directory Leak

In February 2021, the September 2020 membership directory of the Council for National Policy (CNP), which included Charlie Kirk, was leaked.

May 2021: Married Erika Frantzve

In May 2021, Charlie Kirk married Erika Frantzve, who is a podcaster, businesswoman, and former Miss Arizona USA (2012).

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.

December 7, 2021: Podcast Ranked on Apple Podcasts

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

2021: Turning Point Academy Announced

In 2021, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) announced an online academy, Turning Point Academy, targeting students with an "America-first education."

2021: Founding 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 recruiting pastors and church leaders to be active in political issues.

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.

December 2022: Warned RNC About Grassroots Voters

In December 2022, Charlie Kirk cautioned the Republican National Committee (RNC) that they needed to heed the concerns of their grassroots voters or risk facing the consequences of ignoring them.

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

Check it on Amazon

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.

2022: Partnership for Turning Point Academy Ends

In 2022, the partnership between Arizona education firm StrongMind and Turning Point USA to open Turning Point Academy ended after StrongMind received backlash.

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.

May 2024: Birth of Son

In May 2024, Charlie Kirk and his wife, Erika Frantzve, welcomed their second child, a son.

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: 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

Check it on Amazon

2024: Podcast Rankings

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

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.