Hundreds of students, supporters of President Donald Trump and protestors gathered to see media personality Charlie Kirk speak Thursday at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Kirk is the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA and its affiliates. Turning Point is a well-funded political advocacy group that played a prominent role in Trump’s campaign and frequently hosts events to push conservative politics on campuses across the country.
At UT, Kirk was greeted with cheers as he tossed the crowd white hats with the number 47 on them in support of Trump.
During the Q&A portion of Thursday’s event, Kirk reinforced negative views about gender identity, abortion and feminism. He also defended calls to halt funding to Ukraine for its war with Russia, claiming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not appear to want peace in a heated Feb. 28 meeting with Trump at the White House.
“It's easy to say it's a surrender, but it would be a victory for the United States to say that we're no longer sleepwalking closer and closer to a thermonuclear war with Russia,” Kirk said.
One person in attendance who disagreed with Kirk’s views asked him about his thoughts on people calling the Make America Great Again movement a “cult.”
“What was a cult is what we lived during COVID,” Kirk responded. “No matter what the CDC or Anthony Fauci would say, you would have the little talking heads on television parroting it back no matter how insane it was. … That had far more characterizations of what a cult would be than the traditional Make America Great Again movement.”
During the pandemic, Kirk and others from his organization made false claims about COVID and criticized federal protective measures, despite Turning Point USA co-founder Bill Montgomery’s death from complications of COVID in 2020.
The event was coordinated by Turning Point USA, with college chapters from across the state volunteering.
Some supporters who are not students at UT also attended the event, including Bruce Randall.
“It’s always great to have conversations about things that people are questioning. … Like questioning abortion here is a great thing to talk about,” he said.
Reagan Biddle, a UT student who identifies as a libertarian, said he felt indifferent towards the event, though he did express concerns about the current state of political discourse.
“I wish that we spoke with a lot more respect when people actually brought up valid arguments against what we believe,” he said. “That's why I find myself not being the greatest fan of a lot of conservative talking heads as a more conservative person myself.”
A group of students quietly protested nearby, some carrying signs opposing Kirk’s views.
The College Democrats at the University of Tennessee organized the protest.
“We disagree with Charlie Kirk’s way of approaching politics,” said Walker Kinsler, the group’s president. “We believe he uses a lot of bitterness and divisiveness to basically make a profit from dividing our country.”
In a comment requested by WUOT, a UT spokesperson said any student organization can invite people not affiliated with the university to participate in “free speech activities.”
