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2,233 videos 1,360,879,261 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.

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Megyn Kelly Honors Charlie Kirk From His Studio Alongside His Team and Close Friends

September 18, 2025

Megyn Kelly travels to Phoenix to sit in Charlie Kirk's studio, joined by his executive producer Andrew Kolvet, chief of staff Mikey McCoy, and his closest team members. They share intimate stories about Charlie's life, his relentless work ethic, his unexpected humor, and the depth of his relationship with Erica. The team announces that Erika Kirk has been unanimously selected as the new CEO and chair of Turning Point USA's board, exactly what Charlie wanted. Through laughter and tears, they reveal the man behind the movement: his disciplined routines, his mint tea order, his love of long walks, his secret weapon Blake Neff, and his unwavering loyalty to friends. This is Charlie Kirk as you've never heard him before, through the eyes of those who knew him best.

A Journey to Phoenix

Megyn Kelly made the trip to Phoenix, stepping into Charlie Kirk's studio at Turning Point USA headquarters. The scene outside was overwhelming—flowers, balloons, signs, and tributes lined the entire campus, reminiscent of the outpouring after Princess Diana's death. Kelly felt honored to sit in Charlie's chair and share memories with those who knew him best.

Joined by Andrew Kolvet, Charlie's executive producer, Kelly reflected on the unique chemistry she and Charlie shared on air. Every time she saw Charlie Kirk scheduled for her show, she knew it would be exceptional. He always brought something different, something authentic, and most importantly—humor.

The Announcement: Erika Kirk Named CEO

Andrew Kolvet made a significant announcement: the Turning Point board has unanimously selected Erika Kirk as the new CEO and chair of the board. This decision wasn't just appropriate—it was exactly what Charlie wanted. He had told multiple people, including Andrew, that if anything ever happened to him, Erica should lead the organization.

Shortly after Charlie's death, Erica received a call from someone very important asking what she knew about the organization's operations and relationships. Her response was simple and powerful: "Everything. I know everything." Charlie had shared every detail, every private conversation, every strategic decision with his wife. She was fully prepared to carry on his vision.

Charlie's Secret Weapon and Swiss Army Knife

The team gathered in the studio represented Charlie's inner circle. Blake Neff served as a producer and researcher, handling talking points and deep dives into complex issues. Charlie would ask Blake to read 400-page books and provide 10-page digests. Blake was known as Charlie's "secret weapon."

Mikey McCoy, Charlie's chief of staff for nearly six years, described himself as Charlie's Swiss Army knife. Charlie plucked Mikey from the path to college, insisting he come work for him instead—a decision Mikey calls the best he ever made. For six years, Mikey organized Charlie's life, solved problems, and traveled everywhere with him.

The Man Behind the Movement

Charlie was disciplined to an extraordinary degree. He biohacked his body, was religious about sleep, avoided toxins, and maximized every single second of his day. He journaled, read constantly, and listened to audiobooks. Everything was focused on getting the most out of himself for the mission.

His famous Starbucks order became a viral topic: mint tea with two honeys. People across the country began ordering it in his memory. When one grandmother ordered it at Starbucks and the barista wrote "loser" on the cup, her family unleashed accountability on the store, eventually getting it temporarily closed.

Humor and Humanity

What many people didn't fully appreciate about Charlie was his dry, distinctive sense of humor. The people closest to him shared countless stories of Charlie making them laugh. He had quick, funny one-liners that weren't trying to be funny—they just were.

Kelly shared her favorite exchange with Charlie from January 2024, when he was under attack for comments about DEI and airline pilots. Charlie defended himself by saying, "Those pesky safe flights are dominating our society. All those 25 years of commercial airliners kept on dominating us with their beautiful landings through turbulence and storms." His comedic timing was impeccable.

Daily Routines and Rituals

Charlie had specific rituals that revealed his character. Every time a plane took off, he would say, "Lord bless this flight." He was a big walker who loved exploring cities on foot. During a recent trip to Seoul, Korea, Charlie got up at 5:30 a.m. to wander the streets—finally able to experience anonymity as just another foreigner in a city.

His walking tours were legendary among his team. In 90-degree heat with 90% humidity, Charlie would walk for hours, sweating through suits. He'd stop at a coffee shop for exactly two minutes, order his mint tea with two honeys, then get right back out into the heat.

Campus Tours and Prove Me Wrong

Charlie was meticulous about his campus appearances and the Prove Me Wrong segments. The team intentionally styled him less formally for these events—ditching the suit for a t-shirt to make him more approachable. On the day he was killed, Charlie was wearing a "Freedom" shirt, which has now become a symbol of remembrance. The entire team now wears these Freedom shirts in his honor.

His preparation for these events was intense. He would ask for very specific research on obscure details, then sometimes say he'd just wing it. But inevitably, those specific details would come up in the Q&A sessions with students.

The Alpha Nerd

The team affectionately called Charlie a nerd—but he was an alpha nerd. He was a brainiac who was also the ultimate example of masculinity. He never drank alcohol, maintained strict gym routines, ate healthy, and took meticulous care of his vocal cords with throat coat lozenges that people mistook for zen candies.

Charlie was a massive sports fan but consumed sports intensely due to time constraints. He would watch Cubs games and Oregon Ducks football on his iPad during the show, reacting to plays during segments. During the World Cup, March Madness, and the Olympics, iPads would be set up all around the studio so he could track every game.

He would sometimes joke that he should quit and go coach college football. The Ducks were his team because that's where his family went to college, and he wanted to inherit a college football tradition.

No Vices, Only Virtues

Charlie never said a negative word about anyone. Even when controversial figures were in the news and pressure mounted to condemn them, Charlie refused. He would simply state, "I'm not going to say anything bad about that person," and he meant it.

This principle extended to how he viewed people's roles in society. Charlie studied the Greeks and understood that being a statesman, philosopher, or theologian were the highest callings. He was proud of building an institution that brought together people from all ideological wings of the Republican Party. From establishment figures to populists, everyone was welcome in Charlie's coalition.

The Love Story

Charlie and Erica's love story has touched millions. A clip from when they were engaged, sitting on the studio set together, went viral. Erica was nervous, couldn't focus sitting so close to him, and kept saying "hello" while staring at him. Charlie had to restart the introduction multiple times because they were so absorbed in each other.

Their connection was profound. Charlie told Erica everything—every private conversation, every strategic decision, every detail about the organization. When Mikey spoke with Erica about the future of Turning Point, he got emotional for the first time since Charlie's death. The way Erica talked, texted, and broke down issues made Mikey feel like he was speaking to Charlie again.

The Team's Memories

Emma Kate Bartles, who ran Charlie's social media, shared how Charlie would send quick selfie videos to the team—commentary on current events, updates, or just stories. These weren't necessarily for social media, but they were often posted because people loved seeing behind-the-scenes Charlie.

Daisy Phelps, the media director, and others described Charlie as someone who made everyone around him better. He was generous to a fault, loyal to a fault, and completely trustworthy. He never gossiped and never spilled secrets.

Nate Walker, Charlie's executive assistant, handled the day-to-day details—food, water, and clothes. On campus tour days, Nate would ask Charlie which shirt to wear. On his final day, Charlie chose the Freedom shirt, saying it wasn't controversial.

Danny Phillip, who did research and prep, described how Charlie would sometimes request incredibly specific details on niche topics minutes before an event, and other times would confidently say he'd wing it. His depth of knowledge on virtually every subject amazed everyone.

The RNC Moment

Mikey shared one of his favorite memories from the Republican National Convention. When JD Vance came out on stage—a moment Charlie had helped make possible through his behind-the-scenes role in the VP selection—Charlie and Mikey had snuck onto the floor without passes and moved to the very front.

When Vance said something about Joe Biden, the crowd erupted with "Joe's got to go!" chants. Charlie turned to Mikey in a cinematic way and said, "Careful what you wish for." Days later, Kamala Harris became the nominee, bringing more fundraising and more battles—exactly as Charlie had predicted.

Taylor Swift and Pop Culture

Despite Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris based on LGBTQ issues, Charlie remained excited when she got engaged. He told the team, "This is amazing. More people should get married and have kids. This is a great example for everyone." He focused on the positive rather than getting irritated.

Charlie generally didn't pay much attention to pop culture unless the team brought it to him. Once he asked, "What is Brat Summer?" because everyone was talking about it. He was so focused on his mission that cultural phenomena passed him by unless they were directly relevant to his work.

Korean Walk and Rare Anonymity

Blake Neff recalled being in Seoul, Korea, with Charlie the weekend before his death. Blake had been there early for a friend's wedding and suggested Charlie explore the city on foot. Charlie got up at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday morning and walked the streets of Seoul, finally experiencing anonymity. For most Koreans, he was just a tall foreigner wandering their city—a rare gift for someone so famous in America.

The Social Media Phenomenon

Since Charlie's death, people have been reconnecting with him or discovering him for the first time through social media. One TikTok user said, "They tried to silence Charlie, but I hadn't really seen his videos before. Now I'm going down a Charlie Kirk rabbit hole. I'm watching every video, listening to every podcast. I can't believe I'm just now discovering this, but I feel so blessed there's so much content."

The outpouring has been unprecedented. Emma Kate noted that even in death, Charlie is reaching new audiences and converting people to his message of freedom and conservative values.

Charlie's Reading List

Kelly suggested that when Erica and the team feel ready, they should compile a list of everything Charlie read. His fans would love to know what influenced him—what books shaped the man who influenced so many others. From his bookcase to his Kindle, documenting Charlie's intellectual journey would be a valuable service to his followers.

The Mission Continues

Katherine Loccastro, who handled admin and operations, described balancing grief with the incredible busyness of keeping the organization running. She's following Mikey and Erica's lead, doing everything Charlie would have wanted—which is to keep going and work harder than ever.

The team unanimously agrees that business is a blessing. Charlie's life work is keeping everyone occupied in a productive, meaningful way. The worst thing would be to sit idle with grief. Instead, they're channeling their pain into purpose.

No Turf Wars, Just Unity

Kelly expressed hope that there would be no turf wars or disagreements about the organization's direction. Choosing Erica as CEO eliminates that possibility. She embodies Charlie's vision completely and has the knowledge, relationships, and strategic understanding to lead Turning Point exactly as Charlie would want.

The organization won't just continue—it will grow. Erica has already shared her vision for 10x-ing the organization, taking it to the level Charlie always intended. More high school chapters, more college chapters, more cultural impact, more students engaged in the battle for America's future.

A Timeless Legacy

Charlie Kirk built something that will outlive him. An institution. A movement. A coalition of people from all wings of the conservative movement who loved him, respected him, and believed in his vision for America.

As Kelly sat in Charlie's studio, surrounded by his team, one truth became crystal clear: Charlie Kirk's legacy isn't just what he built—it's the people he invested in. Every person in that room is carrying forward his mission with the same intensity, discipline, and love that Charlie brought to every single day.

The work continues. The fight goes on. And Charlie Kirk's spirit—his humor, his brilliance, his loyalty, and his unwavering faith—lives on through everyone he touched.

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