Erika Kirk at AmericaFest 2025 - News

On December 18, 2025, Turning Point USA's CEO, Erika Kirk, opened Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 with a message that blended welcome, resolve, and acknowledgment of the fractures shaping the conservative movement. Taking the stage in Phoenix, she addressed thousands of attendees with the line, “You may not agree with everyone on this stage this weekend — and that’s OK. Welcome to America,” setting the tone for a conference marked by both unity and visible internal debate. Kirk’s entrance — framed by pyrotechnics, spotlights, and the signature production style of TPUSA — underscored her new role at the center of the organization’s public identity. This year’s gathering is the first since the assassination of her husband, Charlie Kirk, and she used her opening remarks to reflect on his legacy while signaling continuity in the mission he built. Throughout the evening, she referenced past AmericaFest moments, including the 2024 closing session where she stepped in for Charlie at the last minute, and she positioned this year’s event as a turning point for the movement as it navigates ideological tensions highlighted by high‑profile clashes among speakers such as Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson. These photographs document Erika Kirk’s presence as it unfolded — the staging, the atmosphere, and the symbolic weight of a leader stepping forward at a moment of transition for both the organization and the broader conservative landscape. (Credit Images: © Charles‑McClintock Wilson/ZUMA Press Wire)