Megyn Kelly Defends Charlie Kirk's Legacy as Turning Point USA Draws Thousands at Virginia Tech Event
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Megyn Kelly Defends Charlie Kirk's Legacy as Turning Point USA Draws Thousands at Virginia Tech Event
Megyn Kelly confronted a student who attempted to link President Trump's rhetoric to the assassination of Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA event at Virginia Tech. The event, organized in just two weeks, drew 3,000 attendees and featured Governor Glenn Youngkin, who challenged students to carry forward Kirk's movement. Jacob Taylor, secretary of the Virginia Tech Turning Point chapter, revealed that a university professor called vigil attendees "klansmen" on social media. The tragedy has sparked unprecedented interest in Turning Point USA, with student inquiries surging from 60,000 to 120,000. Students who never previously attended political events now find themselves motivated by Kirk's assassination to engage with conservative activism and the principles he championed.
Megyn Kelly Confronts Student Over Trump Rhetoric Claims
At a Turning Point USA event held at Virginia Tech, political commentator Megyn Kelly engaged in a heated exchange with a student who attempted to link President Trump's rhetoric to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The student asked Kelly why she supports a president "who contributes to the rhetoric that got your friend Charlie killed."
Kelly forcefully rejected the premise of the question, stating it "assumes facts not in evidence." She challenged the student's assertion directly: "It was President Trump's rhetoric that led to an assassin killing our friend Charlie Kirk. That's a blatant lie. Defamatory and inappropriate."
When the student attempted to soften the claim by saying Trump "contributed to the political atmosphere," Kelly dismissed it as having no substance. "Then you have no point. Your point is utterly empty. Contributing to the atmosphere," she responded. Kelly emphasized that the assassin "was motivated by leftist ideology," citing evidence from bullet casings, statements from the Utah governor, and the perpetrator's own background. The student ultimately turned away and walked off.
Thousands Gather to Honor Kirk's Legacy
The Virginia Tech event drew an overwhelming response, with thousands of attendees lining up for more than five hours to participate. The venue reached its capacity of 3,000 people, a testament to the impact Kirk's assassination has had on young Americans across the political spectrum.
Governor Glenn Youngkin delivered remarks encouraging students to continue Kirk's work. "The question that has been asked over and over again is who will be the next Charlie," Youngkin said. "As I look out in this room and I see thousands of you, I want to repeat the best answer that I have heard. You will be the next Charlie. All of you."
The governor challenged the audience to carry forward Kirk's mission: "You will be light. You will carry the baton. You will engage. You will change minds. You will be that revival."
Event Organized in Just Two Weeks
Jacob Taylor, secretary of the Virginia Tech Turning Point USA chapter, revealed that the entire event came together in just two weeks with help from Turning Point executives. "Man, they worked tirelessly. They don't sleep. They have been traveling across the country," Taylor explained, noting another event had been held in Minnesota the previous week.
Taylor emphasized that this level of productivity embodied what Kirk believed the organization was built for. "Really this is the kind of productivity that Charlie Kirk believed this organization was built for," he said.
The Virginia Tech chapter had held a vigil for Kirk two weeks prior, on the Friday following the assassination. According to Taylor, the vigil focused on "forgiveness and aligning ourselves with the Christian moral principles we preach but also about productivity."
Kirk's Legacy: Transforming Anger Into Construction
Taylor described one of the main components of Kirk's legacy as "transforming the anger, the righteous anger that many young people feel about the state of our country into a force for construction, not destruction and productivity and building new institutions."
Students interviewed at the event revealed how Kirk's assassination profoundly affected them. One student who spoke with reporter Rich Edson explained that they had not planned to attend such events before Kirk's death because there weren't many nearby opportunities. "Now that I saw Charlie's assassination it truly affected my heart. It really did in a way that, you know, I never grieved for somebody I didn't know," the student shared.
The student continued: "Since then I started following Turning Point and I really looked into a lot more not just Charlie Kirk but what the movement stood for."
Students Mobilized by Tragedy
Taylor acknowledged that Kirk's death represents a significant loss to the movement. He had briefly met Kirk during a Chapter Leadership Summer event in Tampa, describing him as "really one-of-a-kind" – someone who simultaneously hosted a podcast, conducted speaking events across the country, and served as CEO of one of the largest political action organizations in America.
"That loss is obviously a real impact to the movement and it is going to certainly take all of us combined to really – I don't want to say replace. We can't ever replace Mr. Kirk, but to carry forward the torch. It will take a lot of effort," Taylor said.
Professor Calls Vigil Attendees "Klansmen"
Taylor revealed disturbing incidents of inflammatory rhetoric from faculty following Kirk's assassination. A Virginia Tech professor referred to people who attended the vigil for Kirk as "clansmen" on social media. The professor later claimed to have only been calling Charlie Kirk himself a "klansman" after his death.
"This kind of rhetoric is unacceptable," Taylor stated. "This professor hasn't been fired yet. The university hasn't said anything about it despite the pressure that we and our regional allies have been trying to exert on him."
Taylor emphasized the need to combat such rhetoric even in the wake of Kirk's assassination, noting the ongoing effort required to counter the vitriol coming from some on the left.
Unprecedented Surge in Student Interest
The impact of Kirk's assassination has manifested in unprecedented interest in Turning Point USA from students across the country. Before the memorial service held on Sunday, the organization had received 60,000 inquiries from high schools and colleges. That number has since surged to 120,000, demonstrating how profoundly the tragedy has affected young Americans and their desire to engage with the conservative movement Kirk built.
