Despite President Trump’s declining support among young people, Turning Point USA is expanding its presence on campuses.
Published September 10, 2026
A year after the assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, the organization he co-founded, Turning Point USA (TPUSA), is expanding its presence in schools across the country, even as young voters grow increasingly dissatisfied with the Republican Party.
As of Thursday, Turning Point had more than 3,500 high school chapters, an increase of 180 percent since Kirk’s death, the group said.
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We also have over 1,500 university chapters, an increase of over 60%.
Kirk was a prominent conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump at the time of his death on September 10, 2025. He was assassinated while speaking to students at Utah Valley University, and the incident was captured on video.
His assassination will prompt the Trump administration to pursue a crackdown on so-called “domestic terrorist organizations,” including the loose anti-fascist movement known as Antifa.
Kirk built Turning Point USA into a major youth organizing force within the Republican Party, helping to mobilize young conservative voters.
But Turning Point’s growth in political base comes as the Republican Party faces growing dissatisfaction among young voters over the economy and the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
Just 32% of men ages 18 to 29 approved of President Trump’s performance in August, down from 43% in February 2025, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
This fall followed a rise in the last general election. Trump won 46% of the youth vote in the 2024 election, an increase of 7 points from 2020, according to Pew Research Center data.
The pressure on the cost of living is one of the biggest concerns for young voters. A Harvard University poll of young people conducted in March and April found that half of Americans ages 18 to 29 said they were “highly affected” by inflation, and 45% said they were struggling to make ends meet or had little financial security.
These economic pressures have been exacerbated by the Iran war, with household spending increasing by an average of $750, according to economic research firm Moody’s Analytics.
Within TPUSA itself, there is growing debate over US support for Israel. A recent poll by YouGov and The Economist found that only 16% of young people think US military action in Iran is the right decision.
But the group’s growing network is a major force in rallying young voters to the Republican Party ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm congressional elections.
A commemoration will be held by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University on Thursday, one year after Kirk was shot and killed during a debate on campus. The group also plans to honor Kirk at the Republican Party’s first midterm convention in Dallas, Texas.
