Charlie Kirk Explains How Turning Point USA Built the Influencer Army That Changed American Politics

[00:00] >> THANK YOU.

[00:00] GOOD TO BE THE ON.

[00:02] JACKIE: OKAY. VOTERS DELIVERING

[00:04] A FINAL VERDICT AGAINST

[00:05] DEMOCRATS AND THEIR VISION FOR

[00:07] AMERICA, BUT SOME IN THE PARTY

[00:08] ARE FOCUSING MORE ON MEDIA

[00:10] PLATFORMS INSTEAD OF POLICIES.

[00:13] "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WITH THIS

[00:14] STORY LAST WEEK, QUOTE,

[00:17] REPUBLICANS BUILT AN ECOSYSTEM

[00:19] OF INFLUENCERS.

[00:19] SOME DEMOCRATS WANT ONE TOO.

[00:21] DEMOCRATS WERE BADLY OUTFLANKED

[00:24] ONLINE IN THE ELECTION, AND

[00:26] PROGRESSIVE INFLUENCERS ARE NOW

[00:27] TRYING TO CREATE NETWORKS TO BE

[00:31] A LEFT-WING ANSWER TO TURNING

[00:32] POINT USA.

[00:33] THE CEO OF ONE COMPANY TRYING TO

[00:36] LAUNCH LIBERAL INFLUENCERS TOLD

[00:38] THE TIMES, QUOTE, WE GOT KILLED

[00:40] IN ALTERNATIVE MEDIA.

[00:42] REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN INVESTING

[00:43] IN THAT SPACE FOR YEARS, AND ON

[00:45] THE LEFT WE'VE TRITTED --

[00:48] TREATED CREATORS NOT IN LEGACY

[00:50] MEDIA AS GIG WORKERS.

[00:51] JOINING US NOW IS THE FOUNDER OF

[00:53] TURNING POINT USA, CHARLIE KIRK.

[00:55] IT'S GREAT THE YOU ON THE

[00:57] PROGRAM WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO

[00:59] THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE

[01:00] NOW TRYING TO COPY THE

[01:01] REPUBLICAN MODEL BECAUSE THEY

[01:03] REALIZE HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WAS

[01:04] WITH DONALD TRUMP IN THE?

[01:07] >> WELL, HAY FINALLY HAVE WOKEN

[01:09] UP THAT THEIR STRATEGY HASN'T

[01:10] WORKED.

[01:10] IN THE 1920s, RADIO WAS

[01:12] FINALLY USED IN AMERICAN

[01:14] POLITICS.

[01:14] 1960s, OF COURSE, WE REMEMBER

[01:16] THE FIRST TELEVISED DEBATE OF

[01:18] NIXON V. KENNEDY.

[01:19] THIS ELECTION WILL GO DOWN IN

[01:21] THE HISTORY BOOKS WHERE LONG

[01:23] FORM PODCASTING CHANGED THE WAY

[01:25] VOTERS MADE THEIR DECISIONS.

[01:26] AT TURNING POINT, USA, WE BUILT

[01:29] AN INFLUENCER ARMY OVER THE LAST

[01:30] DECADE, AND WE WERE MOCKED BY

[01:33] MANY ON THE LEFT SAYING, WHAT A

[01:34] WASTE OF TIME.

[01:35] NOW THE SMART PEOPLE ON THE LEFT

[01:37] ARE COMPLAINING TO THE NEW YORK

[01:38] TIMES THE THAT WHAT WE BUILT

[01:40] ACTUALLY MADE A SIZABLE,

[01:41] SIGNIFICANT AND MEASURABLE

[01:42] DIFFERENCE THIS LAST ELECTION

[01:43] CYCLE.

[01:44] AND PRESIDENT TRUMP DESERVES

[01:45] EXTRAORDINARY CREDIT HERE

[01:46] BECAUSE HE WAS WILLING TO TAKE

[01:48] THE RISKS TO GO TO LONG FORM

[01:50] PODCASTING.

[01:50] IT'S VERY EASY TO SAY, OH, YEAH,

[01:53] YOUR CANDIDATE SHOULD

[01:54] COPODCASTINGING.

[01:54] THAT'S THREE HOURS OF NO

[01:56] SCRIPTING, NO BREAKS, YOU HAVE

[01:58] NO IDEA WHERE THE CONVERSATION'S

[01:59] GOING TO GO, WHERE IT'S GOING TO

[02:01] WEAVE, WHAT TOPICS ARE GOING TO

[02:03] BE COVERED.

[02:03] KAMALA HARRIS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY

[02:04] TO DO IT WITH JOE ROGAN OR THEO

[02:07] VAUGHN, AND HER TEAM SAID, NO,

[02:09] TOO RISKY.

[02:09] WE'RE GOING TO KEEP HER IN THE

[02:11] SAFE MEDIA BUBBLE ENVIRONMENT.

[02:12] ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WERE

[02:14] ABLE TO HAVE A RED WAVE AND

[02:16] LANDSLIDE IS THAT OUR CANDIDATE

[02:18] AND OUR ENTIRE MOVEMENT WAS

[02:19] WILLING TO GO TO PLACES WHERE

[02:21] PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS A SHARE OUR

[02:22] IDEAS, HAVE DIALOGUE AND

[02:24] DISCOURSE AND PUT IT ON DISPLAY

[02:26] FOR TENS OF MILLIONS OF VOTERS

[02:27] AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR

[02:29] SAW THAT AND VOTED THE MOST

[02:30] REPUBLICAN THEY HAVE IN OVER 30

[02:32] YEARS.

[02:32] JACKIE: I THINK YOU'RE 100%

[02:35] RIGHT ON THE STRATEGY AND THE

[02:36] FACT THAT IT WAS UNIQUE.

[02:37] BUT, FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S JUST SAY

[02:39] KAMALA HARRIS HAD SAT DOWN WITH

[02:42] JOE ROGAN.

[02:43] IF THE MESSAGING ISN'T ON POINT

[02:45] WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO THAT

[02:46] CROWD OF PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO

[02:47] KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AND,

[02:48] OBVIOUSLY, PRESIDENT TRUMP DOES,

[02:50] IF SHE STUCK WITH HER MESSAGING,

[02:52] I'M NOT NECESSARILY SURE IT

[02:53] WOULD HAVE HAD THE SAME IMPACT

[02:55] FOR HER.

[02:55] >> THAT'S A VERY SMART POINT.

[02:57] THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE

[02:58] THAT SHE WOULD HAVE DONE EVEN

[03:00] WORSE IF SHE SAT DOWN WITH JOE

[03:03] ROGAN.

[03:03] THEIR TEAM HAD TO WEIGH IT.

[03:05] OUR CANDIDATE IS NOT GOOD AT

[03:07] DEFENDING HER POSITIONS, AND HER

[03:08] POSITIONS ARE UNPOPULAR, SO

[03:10] SHOULD WE PUT HER INTO THE

[03:11] LION'S DEN OF A 3-HOUR TYPE

[03:14] CONVERSATION?

[03:14] AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER

[03:15] REASONS WHY WE SAW SUCH HISTORIC

[03:18] NUMBERS.

[03:18] OUR IDEAS ARE JUST BETTER.

[03:20] THEY'RE JUST COMMON SENSE.

[03:20] WE WANT BORDER, SAFE STREETS,

[03:23] SOUND CURRENCY, EFFICIENT

[03:24] GOVERNMENT, PROSPEROUS ECONOMY.

[03:26] YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO OWN HOMES.

[03:27] AND THE OTHER SIDE, THEY HAVE

[03:30] RADICAL, LEFT-WING POSITIONS

[03:31] THAT GET EXPOSED IN THAT TYPE OF

[03:33] LONG CONVERSATION.

[03:36] OF PODCASTING, OF DIALOGUING AND

[03:38] SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE YOU MIGHT BE

[03:39] ABLE TO HIDE IN A 7-MINUTE TYPE,

[03:43] SCRIPTED TELEVISION INTERVIEW

[03:44] BUT, BOY, WHEN YOU GO TO A

[03:47] PODCAST HOST WITH NO NOTES,

[03:48] THOSE IDEAS GET FLUSHED OUT, AND

[03:51] THE AUDIENCE IS ABLE TO JUDGE

[03:53] SIGNIFICANTLY AND CORRECTLY.

[03:55] JACKIE: AND WHEN SHE HAD THE

[03:56] GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY, SHE COULDN'T

[03:58] EVEN TAKE THAT, AND THAT WAS THE

[03:59] KIND OF FORMAT THAT WE'RE

[04:00] TALKING ABOUT HERE.

[04:01] OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE

[04:02] MUCH MORE WITH YOU, CHARLIE

[04:04] KIRK, SO JUST HANG IN WITH US IN

[04:06] JUST A MOMENT RIGHT HERE ON

[04:07] "SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES.

[04:15] JACKIE: AND WE'RE BACK WITH

[04:15] TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER

[04:16] CHARLIE KIRK.

[04:16] I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT AOC.

[04:19] THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING

[04:20] BEFORE THE BREAK ABOUT MESSAGING

[04:21] AND SOMETIMES THE DEMOCRATS

[04:23] DOUBLING DOWN, SHE'S ACTUALLY

[04:25] ASKING AFTER THIS ELECTION LOSS

[04:26] A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

[04:28] SHE KIND OF WANTS THE TO KNOW

[04:29] WHAT WENT WRONG.

[04:31] IT SEEMS LIKE SHE'S ALMOST

[04:32] REPOSITIONING HERSELF, AND WHILE

[04:34] THE DEM BENCH RIGHT NOW ISN'T

[04:36] PLENTIFUL, SOME ARE SAYING SHE

[04:37] COULD BE THE NOMINEE IN 2028.

[04:40] BUT IF SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE'S

[04:42] TAKING AN INTERESTING AND SMART

[04:43] APPROACH.

[04:43] SHE'S NOT DUMB.

[04:49] [NO AUDIO]

[04:51] DO I HAVE CHARLIE?

[04:52] >> NO, NOT AT ALL.

[04:54] I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU WERE

[04:56] GOING TO PLAY A TAPE.

[04:57] YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

[04:58] AOC HAS A LOT OF TALENT.

[05:00] SHE HAS TENS OF MILLIONS OF

[05:02] FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND

[05:03] SHE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

[05:06] IF SHE WERE TO RUN FOR THE

[05:07] DEMOCRAT PRESIDENCY WITHIN THE

[05:09] DEMOCRAT PARTY, SHE WOULD BE

[05:12] FORMIDABLE.

[05:13] AS REPUBLICANS, WE CAN MAKE FUN

[05:14] OF HER, BUT SHE UNDERSTANDS

[05:16] WHERE THE ENERGY OF THE DEMOCRAT

[05:17] BASE ACTUALLY IS WHICH IS A

[05:19] PROGRESSIVE ENERGY.

[05:20] NOW, GOOD LUCK WINNING IN OHIO

[05:21] OR MICHIGAN OR WISCONSIN OR

[05:23] PENNSYLVANIA, IN ANY OF THESE

[05:24] RUST BELT STATES WITH THAT SORT

[05:26] OF RADICAL, LEFT-WING

[05:28] PERSPECTIVE.

[05:28] HOWEVER, THIS IS THE -- WHETHER

[05:29] OR NOT AOC RUNS FOR THE

[05:31] PRESIDENT PRESIDENCY WILL BE A

[05:32] VERY INTERESTING LITMUS TEST OF

[05:34] WHERE IS THE CENTER AND THE SOUL

[05:35] OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY.

[05:36] ARE THEY GOING TO DOUBLE AND

[05:38] TRIPLE DOWN ON WHAT WE WOULD

[05:40] CONSIDER WOKE IDEAS OR POLICIES

[05:41] OR TRY AND MODERATE THEMSELVES

[05:42] THE WAY BILL CLINTON DID IN THE

[05:44] 19990s AND WAS ABLE TO BUILD A

[05:46] SOUTHERN DEMOCRAT STRATEGY THAT

[05:48] ENDED UP BEING VERY, VERY

[05:49] SUCCESSFUL FOR THEM IN THE 1992

[05:51] AND 1996 ELECTION.

[05:53] JACKIE: YEAH.

[05:53] >> MY BET IS THERE ARE FAR TOO

[05:55] MANY PEOPLE ON THE WOKE SIDE OF

[05:57] THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, I THINK

[05:58] IT'S GOING TO GO MORE IN THE

[06:00] DIRECTION OF AOC, AND SHE SHOULD

[06:02] BE TAKEN VERY SOURCELY.

[06:03] JACKIE: YOU CAN SEE WITH SOME OF

[06:05] THESE PICKS OF FORMER PRESIDENT

[06:08] TRUMP'S PICKS FOR HIS CABINET,

[06:11] BASICALLY, HE'S FILLING UP THE

[06:12] REPUBLICAN BENCH.

[06:13] THERE'S SO MUCH YOUTH AND VIGOR

[06:15] TO COMBAT WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING

[06:16] OUT THERE.

[06:17] ULTIMATELY, YOU THINK TO

[06:18] YOURSELF, HE'S REALLY SETTING UP

[06:20] THE REPUBLICANS IN A GREAT

[06:21] POSITIONING FOR 2028.

[06:23] >> OH, YEAH.

[06:24] I MEAN, LOOK, WE DON'T WANT TO

[06:27] GET TOO COCKY OR CONFIDENT, BUT

[06:28] WE REALLY ARE SEEING A POTENTIAL

[06:30] FOR A DECADE-LONG GOVERNING,

[06:33] LET'S JUST SAY, REGIME.

[06:35] AND I MEAN THAT IN THE BEST

[06:36] POSSIBLE WAY WHERE WE CAN SEE

[06:39] REALLY LOW TAXES, HIGH GROWTH,

[06:41] SECURE BORDERS.

[06:42] AND YOU LOOK AT THIS ALL A-STAR

[06:44] TEAM THAT THE YOU HAVE, VIVEK

[06:45] RAMASWAMY, MARCO RUBIO, ELISE

[06:47] STEFANIK, YOU HAVE THIS

[06:49] INCREDIBLE AVENGERS SQUAD NOT TO

[06:50] MENTION IF ELON MUSK, YOU HAVE

[06:53] J.D. VANCE, WHO WE'LL SEE IF HE

[06:55] RUNS FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN 2028,

[06:57] AND THE PRESIDENT HAS SET UP

[06:59] THIS REPUBLICAN PARTY TO BE A

[07:00] PARTY OF COMMON SENSE, TO BE A

[07:01] PARTY OF YOUNGER VOICE, OF

[07:03] INNOVATIVE IDEAS.

[07:04] AND YOU LOOK AROUND THE DEMOCRAT

[07:06] PARTY, YOU HAVE TO ASK THE

[07:07] QUESTION, WHERE IS THEIR BENCH

[07:08] IN WHERE ARE THEIR CHANGE

[07:11] MAKERS?

[07:11] WHERE ARE THEIR REALLY

[07:12] INTERESTING TYPES OF CANDIDATES?

[07:13] THE PRESIDENT WON THIS ELECTION,

[07:14] AND HE IS GOING TO LEAVE A

[07:16] LEGACY BEHIND HIM, ONE THAT WILL

[07:17] KEEP THE MAGA MOVEMENT GOING FOR

[07:19] MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.

[07:21] JACKIE: YEAH.

[07:21] AND THE ANSWER DOESN'T LIE IN

[07:23] KAMALA HARRIS OR HIP POLITICAL

[07:25] FUTURE -- HER POLITICAL FUTURE.

[07:27] CHARLIE, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT

[07:28] ALL THE FOLKS THAT DO WANT TO

[07:30] SERVE AND THOSE THREATS THAT

[07:31] THEY RECEIVED BEFORE THE

[07:33] THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.

[07:34] ULTIMATELY, IT'S A TERRIBLE

[07:36] POSITION TO BE IN, AND IT REALLY

[07:38] SCARED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND MAKES

[07:40] THEM WANT TO STEER AWAY FROM

[07:42] POLITICS, YET EVERYBODY IS

[07:43] STANDING FIRM AND DEALING WITH

[07:44] IT.

[07:45] DO YOU THINK HALE GO AFTER THOSE

[07:46] FOLKS WHO MADE THOSE THREATS?

[07:48] >> OH, I SURE HOPE SO.

[07:50] LOOK, ANYONE THAT MAKES THESE

[07:51] KIND OF DISGUSTING THREATS

[07:53] SHOULD FACE THE ENTIRE FULL

[07:55] FORCE OF THE FEDERAL JUSTICE

[07:57] SYSTEM.

[07:57] TALKING TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE

[07:58] THAT RECEIVED THOSE THREATS SUCH

[08:00] AS PETE HEGSETH AND MANY OTHERS,

[08:02] THEIR RESOLVE TO KEEP ON

[08:03] FIGHTING HAS ONLY STRENGTHENED.

[08:05] THEY UNDERSTAND THEY ARE HERE TO

[08:06] BE CHANGE MAKERS.

[08:08] THIS IS NOT JUST A NORMAL

[08:09] MANDATE, THIS IS A HISTORIC,

[08:11] ONCE IN MANY LIFETIMES MANDATE.

[08:14] AND THERE'S GOING TO BE

[08:15] AGITATORS, BUT THE TEAM REMAINS

[08:17] STRONGER THAN EV