Charlie Kirk and Meghan McCain Discuss Why Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr Confirmations Are Mission Critical

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2,422 videos 1,389,747,653 views US Joined Aug 30, 2018

Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, the largest and fastest growing conservative youth activist organization in the country with over 250,000 student members, over 150 full-time staff, and a presence on over 2,000 high school and college campuses nationwide. Charlie is also the Chairman of Students for Trump, which aims to activate one million new college voters on campuses in battleground states in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election. His social media reaches over 100 million people per month and according to Axios, he is one of the "top 10 most engaged" Twitter handles in the world. He is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” which regularly ranks among the top news shows on Apple podcast charts.

Charlie Kirk and Meghan McCain Discuss Why Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr Confirmations Are Mission Critical

Charlie Kirk and Meghan McCain unite across political divides to defend Tulsi Gabbard's nomination as Director of National Intelligence and Bobby Kennedy Jr's role in the Trump administration. McCain, a close friend and godmother to Gabbard's eldest daughter, shares why she believes both nominations represent something far bigger than typical cabinet appointments: they embody a new Republican coalition of moms and women voters who came to Trump because of these figures. Kirk and McCain discuss the weak objections from Republican senators, the cultural shift around health and food safety that RFK Jr represents, and why defeating these nominations could fracture the emerging majority that delivered Trump's victory.

February 4, 2025

A Friendship Forged Across Political Lines

Charlie Kirk opens the segment by declaring that confirming Tulsi Gabbard and Bobby Kennedy Jr is a top priority for both his program and Turning Point Action. He welcomes Meghan McCain, acknowledging that while they've been on different sides during the Trump era, they stand in complete agreement on these two nominations.

McCain shares the unexpected origin of her friendship with Gabbard, which spans approximately eight years. Van Jones initially brought them together, believing they were alike and should become friends. After Gabbard appeared on The View, the two women had lunch in New York and closed down the restaurant, bonding deeply over shared experiences and values. That connection evolved into a close friendship, with Gabbard now serving as godmother to McCain's eldest daughter.

McCain describes Gabbard in glowing terms: "She's the bravest most talented woman I've ever met. She really loves America and she loves God and the National Security of this country is something she takes to heart with her every single night. It's like a burden she takes with her." McCain expresses horror that Gabbard faces any confirmation trouble at all, particularly from Republican senators.

Weak Objections From Republican Senators

Kirk presses McCain on the specific objections being raised by senators like James Lankford and Todd Young. He spent the weekend trying to understand their concerns, noting that dismissing Gabbard as a "Russian agent" is completely nonsensical given her sterling FBI background check, current security clearance, and continued military service.

McCain admits confusion about the senators' positions, especially since they represent overwhelmingly pro-Trump states. Every county in Oklahoma went for Trump, she notes, making their hesitation particularly puzzling. She attributes their concerns to propaganda against a current member of the military who has repeatedly put her life on the line for American freedom.

McCain specifically calls out false narratives promoted by Hillary Clinton and Bari Weiss on Joe Rogan, which she believes created slander that wasn't sufficiently challenged. She emphasizes her own family's history, noting that her father couldn't legally travel to Russia because they were sanctioned: "Do you think I would be friends with someone who was compromised by Russia? It's absurdity."

The Stakes for the New Republican Coalition

McCain issues a stark warning to senators considering voting against Gabbard or RFK Jr. She promises to do anything in her power to ensure there are consequences, because these confirmations represent more than just cabinet positions. They symbolize the new coalition in the Republican party, particularly the women and moms who came out in droves, many as first-time Trump voters, specifically because they wanted this "dream team."

She argues these voters deserve to have their choices respected in the cabinet. Without a legitimate reason beyond internet propaganda, McCain declares herself heartbroken by the opposition. However, she remains confident they'll get Gabbard confirmed, adding that if they don't, "there will be hell to pay." Kirk enthusiastically agrees, committing to launching primary challenges against any Republicans who vote against these nominations.

The Moms and Women Who Changed the Republican Party

Kirk references something McCain said on the Mark Halperin show that resonated with him: millions of moms and women are now Republican specifically because of the Bobby Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard "Unity party." When Kirk speaks to DC insiders, they dismiss this as overrated, but he knows it's actually one of the decisive ingredients in the new Republican governing majority.

McCain provides anecdotal but powerful evidence. Every woman in her life except two voted for Trump, and many were not traditional Trump supporters. They became radicalized during COVID with the lockdowns and vaccines, and RFK Jr and Gabbard gave them new hope for the future. Issues like transgender athletes in women's sports also played a role, but these two figures provided a safe space to vote for Trump for people who were on the edge, independent, or had been Democrats.

McCain points to Jessica Tarlov who runs the House Inhabit Instagram account as an example of the wave of women supporting RFK Jr, Gabbard, and Trump. She emphasizes the importance of not losing these voters, thinking ahead to elections four and eight years from now. McCain expresses that she's never felt more validated after years of being attacked for being Republican, and she loves seeing everything she said come true. RFK Jr and Gabbard are integral to maintaining this momentum.

The Health Revolution Bobby Kennedy Represents

Kirk shifts to discussing the specific contribution of Bobby Kennedy, noting that he has put a health emphasis on the Republican party that moms are very conscious of. Kirk recalls that 10 or 15 years ago, healthy eating and questioning the healthcare system were primarily Democrat concerns. Now these issues have migrated to the conservative and Republican party. Beyond being politically advantageous, Kirk argues it's morally right given how sick American children have become, drowning in chronic illness. He believes Kennedy represents a 10 to 15 percent boost for the Republican party.

McCain shares that she became much more aware of health and food issues during COVID, like everyone else. She has not given her children the COVID vaccine, though they are vaccinated with other vaccines, because she's fearful of the COVID vaccine specifically. She started reading about different health topics and it opened her mind to how much the government lies to Americans.

McCain describes a realization about a group of people who will lie forever, who locked down children and destroyed their mental health without caring about moms or kids or their health. She questions why so many foods legal in America are banned in Europe. Why are Skittles banned in Europe but not here? Why is a coffee creamer she uses banned everywhere else but legal in America? She shouldn't have to do this much homework to keep her family safe.

Kennedy represents new hope for parents genuinely worried about their children being poisoned by food. McCain is far from alone in this concern. One key takeaway from sitting with Gabbard at her hearing was that senators really don't understand this movement. Senators Young and Lankford, along with Democrats, seem completely disconnected from MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) moms and this coalition of people, which is pathetic given how large a swath of the American public they represent.

A Warning to Senators

McCain closes with another warning: if senators somehow blow these confirmations, there will be consequences. Never underestimate what moms of America can do when they're angry and upset. Her Governor in Virginia got elected because moms were told they didn't have a right to send their kids to whatever school they wanted.

She expresses frustration that she doesn't know how to make senators like Lankford and Young understand that this isn't just about them. It's about a mandate from the American people that President Trump is helping execute. Kirk thanks McCain for her time, directing listeners to the Citizen McCain podcast, and reiterating their shared agreement that Gabbard and Kennedy are essential for the big party governing coalition.

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