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Charles James Kirk (October 14, 1993 – September 10, 2025) was an American right-wing political activist, entrepreneur, and media personality. He co-founded the conservative organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in 2012 and was its executive director. He published a range of books and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a talk radio program. Kirk became recognized as one of the most prominent voices of the MAGA movement in the Republican Party and, since his death, has been considered an icon of modern American conservatism. Kirk was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs of Arlington Heights and Prospect Heights, briefly attending Harper College before dropping out after one semester to pursue political activism full-time. He worked with various donors to fund TPUSA, rising to prominence via informal college campus debates held at his signature "Prove Me Wrong" table. He extended TPUSA's influence through initiatives such as the Professor Watchlist and mass rallies aimed at young voters, and has since been credited with generating interest in political conservatism among American youth. Under Kirk's leadership, TPUSA developed several affiliate groups, including Turning Point Action and Turning Point Faith, with the latter aimed at mobilizing religious communities around conservative issues. Partnering with Pentecostal pastor Rob McCoy in creating Turning Point Faith, Kirk became aligned with the Christian right and advocated for Christian nationalism. A key ally of Donald Trump, Kirk espoused a variety of conservative stances, including opposition to abortion, gun control, DEI programs, and LGBT rights. His more controversial views included his criticism of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as his promotion of COVID-19 misinformation, false claims of electoral fraud in 2020, and the Great Replacement conspiracy theory. On September 10, 2025, Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a TPUSA public debate event on the Utah Valley University campus. His death gained international attention and led to the condemnation of political violence by prominent domestic and international figures. Trump announced that Kirk would posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Following his death, right-wing activists and the U.S. government sought to silence and fire those allegedly celebrating Kirk's death, which soon evolved into policing any criticism of Kirk in general, drawing allegations of being a form of cancel culture and contrary to Kirk's beliefs.