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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 Debates Independent Voter on Immigration Rhetoric, Puerto Rico Joke, and Biden's Garbage Comment
Charlie Kirk engages with an independent voter concerned about Republican immigration rhetoric and a comedian's joke about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally. The conversation shifts to comparing a comedian's controversial joke with President Biden calling Trump supporters 'garbage,' then explores the broader immigration debate. Kirk argues for prioritizing American citizens over illegal immigrants, defending legal immigration while criticizing those who bypass the system, and challenges the narrative that America is systemically racist toward immigrants.
An independent voter approached Charlie Kirk with concerns about Republican Party rhetoric on immigration, particularly regarding a comedian's joke at a Trump rally comparing Puerto Rico to a trash dump. The voter explained that having a close friend from Puerto Rico and knowing the island's lack of Congressional representation while still paying taxes made the comment particularly troubling. Kirk immediately asked how much the voter knew about the speaker, establishing that the person was a comedian before proceeding with the discussion.
Comparing a Comedian's Joke to Biden's Garbage Comment
Kirk reframed the conversation by asking which should matter more: a comedian making a bad joke or a president calling Trump supporters garbage. The voter acknowledged both were bad but agreed the president's comment was worse. Kirk emphasized that America has never had a president, even during the Civil War, call this many Americans garbage. He noted that the president explicitly said the only garbage he sees are Trump supporters, making a clear distinction between an entertainer's poor taste and a sitting president's statement about American citizens.
Addressing Broader Immigration Concerns
The voter raised concerns about Trump's early campaign statements about Latino immigrants and criminals, which Kirk challenged by noting that there are indeed criminals and rapists coming across the border. The voter described living in Arizona and knowing undocumented workers in the agricultural industry who were good people trying to be upstanding without citizenship. Kirk responded by establishing fundamental principles, asking whether it should be illegal to enter America without permission. When the voter agreed it should be illegal, Kirk asked about appropriate punishment and whether circumstances should factor into sentencing.
The Principle of Legal Immigration
Kirk used an analogy comparing illegal immigration to breaking into someone's home, arguing that we shouldn't factor in reasons when determining if the act is wrong. He rejected the notion that poverty justifies illegal entry, noting that 6 billion of the 7 billion people on the planet live in poor countries, which doesn't give them the right to walk into another country. When the voter mentioned countries like El Salvador and Venezuela, Kirk countered that these countries are now actually safer than America because they're sending their criminals to the United States by opening their prisons.
Putting American Citizens First
Kirk made his central argument that countries need to put their own citizens first above citizens of other countries. He pointed out that everyone in the audience represents the first generation since George Washington to have it worse off than their parents. He stated he doesn't care about rhetoric concerns and instead focuses on the fact that the current generation is the most depressed, suicidal, anxious, poor, and has the least homeownership in history. These young Americans should come first above foreigners, he argued.
Record Support in the Latino and Black Communities
Kirk noted that Trump has record support amongst the Latino community and the black community, particularly among those who came legally. He established that the voter was born in America but that their parents came legally, which Kirk praised as the proper way. He argued that it's actually an insult to parents who waited in line, filled out forms, and didn't commit crimes to equate their legal immigration with the 10 million people who broke into the country and cut in line.
Challenging the Fear Narrative
The voter shared that their mother, who came from Iran in the late 1970s, has expressed concerns about identifying their country of origin for fear of trouble. Kirk asked where the voter was from and identified himself as an immigrant, then pressed for specific examples of how white Americans had been indecent to the voter. When the voter mentioned having an easier time selling in certain areas, Kirk clarified that people not wanting to buy products doesn't constitute indecency. He asked if the country had been good to the family, and the voter agreed it probably had been.
America as the Least Racist Country
Kirk concluded by reframing the voter's perspective, suggesting there isn't a boogeyman out to get immigrant families. He declared that America is the least racist country ever to exist in the history of the world, and pointed to the voter's family as evidence of that fact. The exchange ended on this note, with Kirk thanking the voter for their time before moving on to the next person.
