Vice President Vance and Donald Trump Jr. are planning to bolster Turning Point USA — the conservative group co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk — by appearing at its events in the coming months, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The move further solidifies Vance's alliance with an organization that focuses on young voters ahead of what's widely expected to be the vice president's run for the White House in 2028.
Zoom out: Vance and Donald Trump Jr. were close to Kirk, who was assassinated Sept. 10 in Utah.
- Vance — who has credited Kirk with helping him land the vice presidential nomination last year — accompanied Kirk's widow, Erika, on Air Force Two to take the conservative activist's remains to the Kirks' hometown of Phoenix.
- A few days later the vice president guest-hosted Kirk's podcast, during which he and several Trump administration officials praised Kirk. Vance and Trump Jr. also spoke at Kirk's memorial service.
Zoom in: As Erika Kirk takes over leadership of Turning Point USA, White House officials — who say the organization played a key role in turning out young voters for President Trump last year — want to ensure it remains well-funded and on solid footing ahead of the 2026 midterms.
- Vance and Donald Trump Jr. aren't the only high-profile Republicans who are engaging with Turning Point in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's slaying.
- Podcaster Megyn Kelly and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin — another potential 2028 presidential contender — hosted a Turning Point event at Virginia Tech University last week.
What they're saying: Vance and Trump Jr. "were so personally close to Charlie that they are determined to do right by him and continue to work closely with Turning Point," a source close to Vance and Trump Jr. told Axios.
- "I would expect to see both of them turn up at TPUSA events over the next several months and long after that," the source added. "They understand that Turning Point is now Charlie's political legacy and they both want to help grow it to be bigger and more influential than ever."
