Leaked messages spark a brutal power struggle inside Turning Point USA as Charlie Kirk’s empire starts to fracture.NH

Internal Schism at Turning Point USA Deepens Over Speaker Lineup and Founder’s Legacy

A bitter ideological conflict is fracturing the conservative movement, with Turning Point USA (TPUSA) at its epicenter. The struggle, which intensified following the September murder of founder Charlie Kirk, has erupted into a public war over the organization’s direction and Kirk’s own legacy. The flashpoint is the upcoming AmericaFest conference, where the inclusion of speakers critical of U.S. support for Israel has exposed deep divisions within the influential conservative youth group.

The internal tensions, once managed privately by Kirk, were laid bare for the public when podcaster Candace Owens released screenshots of his text messages earlier this month. TPUSA subsequently confirmed the authenticity of the messages, which paint a stark picture of the pressures Kirk faced. In one exchange, he revealed the significant financial consequences of his decisions.

“Just lost another huge Jewish donor,” Kirk wrote. “$2 million a year because we won’t cancel Tucker.”

The message referred to Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host whose commentary has grown increasingly critical of American foreign policy, including aid to Israel, and of some prominent Jewish conservative donors. In a follow-up text that has since drawn significant condemnation, Kirk added, “Jewish donors play into all the stereotypes.”

A Public Battle Ignites

With AmericaFest scheduled to begin on December 18 in Phoenix, the controversy has only escalated. The speaker list still features Carlson, as well as other figures who challenge the Republican establishment’s stance on foreign aid, such as former White House strategist Steve Bannon and political commentator Jack Posobiec.

The simmering dispute boiled over last week, largely ignited by a tweet from Washington Examiner contributor Kimberly Ross, who called for a purge of the controversial speakers.

“No, it’s not good that Carlson, Bannon, Posobiec, and [Texas Attorney General Ken] Paxton are speaking at TPUSA’s AmFest in December,” Ross wrote. “It’s bad, actually. The cancer should be cut out.”

Her post acted as a catalyst, transforming private anxieties among donors and traditional conservatives into a public feud. The conflict is now framed as a battle for the soul of TPUSA and, by extension, the future of the conservative youth movement that Kirk built into a political powerhouse. On one side are those aligned with a more nationalist, “America First” populism, and on the other are establishment conservatives and donors who remain staunchly committed to a strong U.S.-Israel alliance.

The Battle for Kirk’s Legacy

Sources close to the organization say Kirk spent his final months attempting to navigate this treacherous divide. He was caught between a donor base that helped build TPUSA and a grassroots movement increasingly drawn to the non-interventionist and populist rhetoric of figures like Carlson. His decision to stand by the invitation to Carlson, despite the seven-figure financial loss, suggests he may have been trying to steer the organization toward this emerging populist wing.

However, the leaked text message containing the remark about “stereotypes” has complicated any clear interpretation of his motives. Allies of Kirk have been largely silent on the comment, while critics point to it as evidence of a troubling ideological drift that they argue must be corrected. The vacuum left by Kirk’s death has turned the leadership of TPUSA into a contested space, with different factions now vying to define his legacy in a way that serves their own vision for the movement. An interim leadership council is reportedly struggling to hold the organization together amid the donor exodus and public infighting.

Financial and Ideological Stakes

The loss of a $2 million annual donation is a tangible indicator of the financial stakes involved. TPUSA has long relied on a small circle of wealthy benefactors to fund its campus chapters, activist training, and large-scale events like AmericaFest. The willingness of a major donor to walk away highlights a growing intolerance for the brand of conservatism Carlson and others represent. For this faction, criticism of Israel and skepticism toward established foreign policy are red lines.

Conversely, for a large and vocal segment of the conservative base, these speakers represent a necessary and authentic challenge to what they see as a failed political consensus. For them, cutting ties with Carlson, Bannon, and Posobiec would be a betrayal of the grassroots and an unacceptable capitulation to donor demands.

As AmericaFest approaches, TPUSA’s leadership faces an impossible choice. Canceling the controversial speakers could appease influential donors but would likely alienate its activist base and be seen as a posthumous rebuke of Kirk’s final decisions. Proceeding as planned risks further financial hemorrhaging and could permanently sever ties with the Republican establishment’s pro-Israel wing. The outcome of this civil war will not only determine the future of Turning Point USA but may also signal a permanent realignment within American conservatism.