MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Today, Turning Point USA returns to Utah Valley University to memorialize co-founder Charlie Kirk, where he was fatally shot one year ago today. Kirk was on campus for one of his trademark prove-me-wrong events where he would take questions from students on hot-button issues. His brand of in-your-face conservatism made him a popular figure among young Republicans, even as academics and others complained that his organization provoked harassment of college professors and others it deemed too far left. NPR political reporter Elena Moore is at Utah Valley University and is with us now. Good morning, Elena.
ELENA MOORE, BYLINE: Good morning, Michel.
MARTIN: You've been talking to folks on the campus where Charlie Kirk was killed. What are they telling you?
MOORE: Well, yeah, I spent some time walking around UVU yesterday and went to the spot on campus where it happened. It's this outdoor green space kind of amphitheater like. And I met some folks who had actually attended the event. They described that day as incredibly disturbing and shocking. Nineteen-year-old Sawyer Carr (ph) was a freshman. He told me he ultimately dropped out of UVU after the shooting because the campus didn't feel safe anymore.
SAWYER CARR: Just sad that it happened. I think everyone should have their ability to talk about whatever whenever it's the First Amendment. Whether you agree with him or not, there's many things I don't agree with him on, but I can agree with the point of having a good debate and getting opinions out safely.
MARTIN: So Charlie Kirk's death clearly affected that student and certainly others. But what effect do you think it's had on the broader conservative movement?
MOORE: Well, just as a reminder, I mean, at the time of Kirk's death, Kirk had really become one of the most influential voices within the conservative youth space, and supporters credited him with helping President Trump make crucial gains with young voters in the 2024 election. Some of - you know, some took Kirk's death as a sign to get more involved. In the days following the shooting, Turning Point reported a surge of interest with requests from high school and college students looking to start new chapters at their schools. But, Michel, in recent conversations I've had with student organizers, many paint a much more complicated picture of where the organization is today.
MARTIN: Well, Elena, tell us more about that. What are they saying?
MOORE: I mean, for one, Kirk's absence is still very much felt by folks, and some argue no one has filled the void he left. Young conservatives are also grappling with many of the same issue divides playing out within the GOP more broadly, things like the war with Iran, the U.S.'s relationship with Israel. I talked about some of this with 18-year-old Hazel Roberts (ph). She's a freshman at Grand Canyon University who's been involved with Turning Point for years.
HAZEL ROBERTS: That's what Charlie loved about Turning Point, and that we could all have different perspectives and not hate each other for it, and we can talk about it. And since Charlie's passing, there has been a lot of hate from the right, and it just, like, really showed that Charlie was the glue that held us together.
MOORE: And, Michel, these divides go past policy disagreements. You know, Turning Point has also been seen - you know, Turning Point has also seen a slew of conspiracy theories about Kirk's assassination spread by right-wing influencers. And students told me that that narrative has also made it harder at times to organize on campus.
MARTIN: And how has Turning Point responded to all of this?
MOORE: Well, spokesman Andrew Kolvet acknowledged in a statement that the group is facing a, quote, "confluence of challenges," but says the organization is still growing. And, of course, you know, they are also continuing to hold events like the memorial today. But this is likely to look quite different from last year's massive funeral, where top Trump administration officials, including both the president and vice president, delivered remarks, as well as Kirk's widow and the group's CEO, Erica Kirk. At the memorial this evening, Michel, none of those familiar faces are slated to speak.
MARTIN: That is NPR political reporter Elena Moore reporting from Orem, Utah. Elena, thank you.
MOORE: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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