Echoes of Power and Influence: Reflecting on the Legacy of Charlie Kirk

By: Morgan Malone

On September 10, 2025, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk – YouTuber, podcaster, and founder of conservative 501(c)(3) organization Turning Point USA – was fatally shot at a rally he hosted at Utah Valley University. The incident shocked the nation and sparked vigorous debate about Kirk’s legacy in contemporary politics and the state of American politics in general. Kirk is often hailed as one of the key figures whose steadfast advocacy for President Donald Trump among younger generations helped secure Trump a second term in the White House. Kirk (along with co-founder Bill Montgomery) founded Turning Point in 2012. Starting with initiatives such as the Professor and School Board Watchlists – a continually growing list of professors and board members at American universities who allegedly discriminate against conservative students by establishing COVID mask mandates and DEI curricula – TPUSA grew exponentially on a nationwide and even international level. TPUSA has seen significant turnout levels at its rallies and events since its conception, with July 2025’s Student Action Summit breaking previous records with a turnout of over 5,000 attendees.  

  Much of Kirk’s fame and recognition also derived from notoriety and infamy, namely stemming from inflammatory and controversial statements he made on his platforms about various demographics. In a 2024 episode of his podcast, “The Charlie Kirk Show,” co-hosted with fellow conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, Kirk fearfully lamented the potentially dangerous ramifications of left-leaning policies such as affirmative action and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives with a hypothetical strawman about an unqualified black pilot flying a plane. “If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘boy, I hope he's qualified.’” (The Charlie Kirk Show, 23 January 2024; from Chris Stein, The Guardian). The assumption, of course, being that a black pilot’s presence on a flight causes concerns of safety and qualification because of DEI’s allowances of unqualified people of color, all in the name of inclusion for inclusion’s sake. The basic eligibility requirements to become a pilot within the United States include the acquisition of a Private Pilot License, an official Instrument Rating, a Commercial Pilot License, and an Airline Transport Pilot certificate. These certifications cumulatively include at least 1,500 hours of both solo and instructor-led flight training, multiple written examinations, and extensive knowledge about airplane engineering and meteorology (Acron Aviation; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Not one of those requirements delineates any special allowances or provisions for members of diverse groups to somehow circumvent the painstaking process of becoming a pilot in the United States.  

  Kirk was no stranger to such statements, regardless of their validity. On a May 2023 episode of his podcast, Kirk warned his audience of “prowling blacks [who] go around for fun to go target white people.” (Chris Stein, The Guardian) In another episode in September 2024, he affirmed that he would indeed force his 10-year-old daughter to give birth to a child conceived via rape. In March 2024, he asserted the existence of the “Great Replacement,” a far-right ideological belief that white populations in America are being deliberately replaced by members of other cultures (Southern Poverty Law Center), stating that “The great replacement strategy, which is well under way every single day in our southern border, is a strategy to replace white rural America with something different.” (Stein, The Guardian) These statements are among many Kirk made during his career, on a public platform to his audience of millions. 

  Does it fare better or worse for Charlie Kirk when such statements are presented in their original context? Ultimately, that question may only be answered subjectively. What is objective, however, is this: the above does not mean that his supporters are not allowed to mourn him and what he represented to them. What is also objectively true is that today’s political landscape thrives on inflammatory lies and polarizing dog whistles disguised as legitimate politics. In eras past, we have seen the societal effects of the utilization of propaganda, sometimes amounting to monumental levels of destruction, loss, and tragedy. The uniqueness of how this weapon is wielded in our modern era is the volume and speed at which it may be disseminated. In other words, as many of our mothers would say, “it’s those damn phones.”  

  In an age where information moves faster than the truth can catch up, voices like Kirk’s thrive in the algorithmic chaos because they are ultimately rewarded for outrage over accuracy and truth. The viral nature of his rhetoric exposes how easily and how quickly modern technology can distort the truth and amplify lies. Kirk’s influence on the current political landscape is undeniable; his ardent supporters and vehement opponents alike can agree on that. Such influence, however, ultimately calls into question what our society chooses to legitimize through either our silence or applause. As law students, we are all trained to chase tirelessly after truth and principles. Yet when provocation is mistaken for principle and misinformation becomes a strategy for power, the rule of reason is eroded. We owe it to ourselves – and to the health and longevity of our democracy – to demand better from our leaders, our media, and one another.