A patriotic middle school assembly celebrating America’s upcoming 250th birthday sparked protests and backlash from left-wing parents in Southern California this week after critics objected to the event’s alleged ties to organizations like Turning Point USA and The Heritage Foundation.
The event, dubbed “History Rocks 250,” was held at Canyon Hills Junior High School and focused on American history, the country’s founding principles, and civic pride ahead of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration next year.
But before the assembly even began, protesters gathered outside the school holding signs reading “No politics in school,” while some parents reportedly kept their children home entirely over fears the presentation would push a conservative political agenda.
Much of the controversy centered on reports that organizations affiliated with Turning Point USA and Heritage Foundation had helped coordinate the broader “History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour,” which is tied to America’s semiquincentennial celebration.
“I’m concerned about the views of Turning Point USA and the Heritage Foundation, which produced Project 2025,” grandparent Debra Esquivel said while protesting the event.
Parents <a href="https://abc7.com/post/controversy-surrounds-history-rocks-250-assembly-canyon-hills-junior-high-chino/19066944/">interviewed by local media</a> expressed fears that conservative ideology was being inserted into the classroom under the banner of civic education, despite school officials repeatedly stating the assembly would simply focus on American history and the nation’s founding.
“The things they teach and the ideas that they like to bring into communities and into students are concerning to me,” parent Kristi Hirst said. School officials and district leaders pushed back forcefully on the criticism, insisting the event contained nothing political or controversial.
“They will be learning about the founding documents and also about the American Revolution,” said Sonja Shaw. “This is nothing new. It’s in our curriculum.” The assembly itself appeared largely straightforward and patriotic in nature.
Students and faculty opened the event with the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem before participating in history-themed trivia games and presentations about the American Revolution and the country’s founding ideals.
One student emcee asked classmates questions about colonial America, while another delivered remarks praising the United States as a place where generations of immigrants came seeking freedom and opportunity. “What makes America special is that for generations families all over the world have come here, searching for freedom, opportunity and the chance to build a better life,” one student said during closing remarks.
Featured speaker Katharine Gorka, a senior adviser for civic education at the Department of Education similarly emphasized America’s openness and national identity. “We are the most welcoming country on earth, and I love that about this country,” Gorka told students.
After the assembly concluded, multiple students reportedly said the event felt like a normal school rally focused on American history rather than partisan politics. “I think they politicized something that’s not political,” Gorka later said.
The backlash puts a fine point on how reflexively hostile some have become towards conservative organizations and overt expressions of American patriotism, even when the actual content presented to students remained centered on basic civics and national history.
The reaction highlights the increasingly polarized atmosphere surrounding patriotism, civic education, and American history in schools — particularly in deep blue states like California, where even celebrations tied to the country’s founding can quickly become ideological flashpoints.

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Woke Parents Protest As School Dares To Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday

Woke Parents Protest As School Dares To Celebrate America's 250th Birthday

Education

Politics

Turning Point USA

Woke Culture

“It&#8217;s more than memorizing statistics and facts. It&#8217;s how you are able to absorb such knowledge that elevates your thinking above the noise of this world.”
Erika Kirk delivers an emotional commencement speech Saturday at Hillsdale College, telling graduates that her late husband Charlie Kirk believes learning is about far more than facts, politics, or headlines. It’s about pursuing truth, defending liberty, and building a life rooted in purpose.
Kirk, who now serves as CEO and chair of Turning Point USA following Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September 2025, speaks to Hillsdale’s graduating class during the school’s 174th commencement ceremony in Michigan.
At times emotional and at times funny, the speech doubles as both a tribute to Charlie and a broader message about faith, family, responsibility, and what Kirk sees as a culture losing its direction.
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<a href="https://t.co/PtXzaW1sEm">https://t.co/PtXzaW1sEm</a>
— Jordan Schroeder (@JordanESchro) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanESchro/status/2053236933363482635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
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One of the most memorable moments comes when Kirk tells the story of their honeymoon, where Charlie still can’t fully disconnect from learning.
“When we got married and we went to our honeymoon the next day, we decided for our honeymoon that it would be a disconnected honeymoon,” Kirk says. “Meaning no computers, no cell phones.”
But Charlie still brings along what she jokingly calls a “bat phone” for emergencies.
While the two are working out at the gym, Kirk suddenly hears Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn’s voice coming from across the room.
“I walk over to him. Baby, what are you listening to?” she recalls. “He goes, I know. He was like, I&#8217;m almost done. He&#8217;s like, I have to finish just a few more lectures from Dr. Arn.”
Kirk says Charlie constantly took Hillsdale online courses and proudly screenshots every certificate of completion.
“He really understood that this institution wasn&#8217;t normal,” she says. “It was something that elevated his thinking to be a thought leader and really become a serious person, not just a political talking head.”
Throughout the speech, Kirk repeatedly points back to Charlie’s obsession with learning and his belief that education should shape how people think, not just help them memorize information.
“I would say, I love learning from you,” Kirk says, recalling date nights where she would ask Charlie to explain the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, or Winston Churchill.
“He just loved being able to share what he had learned in those moments,” she adds.
Kirk also uses the speech to warn graduates about chasing comfort and easy living instead of purpose and meaning.
“What you seek in life, you will get,” she tells graduates. “If you&#8217;re seeking the ugly, the conspiracy, the pain, you&#8217;ll find it. And if you&#8217;re seeking the good and the true and the beautiful, you will find that as well.”
“You are not made for a life that asks nothing of you,” she adds. “You were made for something higher.”
At several points, Kirk frames Charlie’s life as a blueprint for the graduating class, reminding students that Turning Point USA famously starts “in a garage in Lamont, Illinois” when Charlie is fresh out of high school with “no money, no connections, and no idea what he was doing.”
But she says he never saw the mission as random.
“He knew that with the Lord. That was his calling,” she says.
Kirk closes the speech with a direct message to graduates about preserving the country they are inheriting.
“Love your country,” she says. “Our country is not perfect, but my goodness is she good.”
“And as you start day one as a graduate, build carefully, choose wisely,” Kirk adds. “And aim not at what is easy or immediate, but what is beautiful and true.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-EDUCATION-KIRK

The Emotional Challenge Erika Kirk Delivers To Graduates About Charlie’s Legacy

Charlie Kirk

Erika Kirk

Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk marked her fifth wedding anniversary Friday with a touching tribute to her late husband, Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated during a speaking event in September.
In a social media post, the widow reflected on their relationship and how she hopes to share their legacy with their daughter and son.
&#8220;Even though our kids won&#8217;t see our love &#8216;grow old together&#8217; from an earthly stand point; they&#8217;ll see it from a Heavenly one,&#8221; she posted on X. &#8220;Happy Anniversary to the love of my life.&#8221;
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Even though our kids won’t see our love “grow old together” from an earthly stand point; they’ll see it from a Heavenly one. And I’ll tell them of our love story any moment I can.
Happy Anniversary to the love of my life. <a href="https://t.co/PAXTyxm7ly">pic.twitter.com/PAXTyxm7ly</a>
— Erika Kirk (@MrsErikaKirk) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsErikaKirk/status/2052823537329770691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
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An emotional video accompanying the post features a montage of the couple in romantic settings and family photos, set to voiceovers from Charlie, Erika, and their daughter, Gigi, who was born in 2022.
The video begins with Erika saying, &#8220;I want to show you some pictures of mommy and daddy, and I want to tell you a story.&#8221;
A child&#8217;s voice later says, &#8220;I love you so much, daddy. I miss you, Dada.&#8221;
The montage ends with Charlie and Erika expressing their love for one another.
After Charlie was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, Erika, as her husband wished, took over Turning Point USA. She has since urged Americans to live according to the values her husband promoted, including a focus on faith.
Tyler Robinson, 23, has been charged in connection with the killing. During a memorial service in September, Erika publicly forgave him.
&#8220;That young man, that young man,&#8221; she said. &#8220;On the cross, our savior said, &#8216;Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.&#8217; That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and is what Charlie would do.&#8221;
Since taking over Turning Point USA, Erika has become a more visible public figure, continuing to promote her husband&#8217;s political and religious values on the world stage despite aggressive smear campaigns from online commentators.
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Turning Point Inaugural-Eve Ball Held In Washington, D.C.

Erika Kirk Reflects On Love And Loss In Anniversary Tribute To Charlie

The university where Charlie Kirk was assassinated will not have a commencement speaker this year after facing backlash for choosing an author who criticized the popular conservative commentator shortly after his death. 
Utah Valley University said Thursday it would proceed without a commencement speaker due to “safety concerns.” The decision follows <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-where-charlie-kirk-was-assassinated-taps-speaker-tied-to-sick-posts">criticism</a> over its selection of the so-called “non-partisan” author Sharon McMahon, who had previously called Kirk’s message harmful.
“Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and in consultation with public safety professionals and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without a featured commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony,” the university said in a statement. 
McMahon, who describes herself as “America’s government teacher,” posted a series of out-of-context quotes from Kirk after his death to explain why “there is so much backlash to posts eulogizing his death,” claiming that Kirk “was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses” if you were black or Muslim.
Local outlets have <a href="https://kutv.com/news/local/backlash-at-uvu-follows-selection-of-speaker-tied-to-posts-about-charlie-kirk">reported</a> on the posts, which have since been deleted from social media. 
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words and the ensuing actions his followers took,” McMahon wrote, according to a local CBS affiliate. 
The selection of McMahon as a speaker garnered criticism from Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and the university’s Turning Point USA chapter. 
“Hours immediately after Charlie’s assassination, Sharon McMahon posted a now-deleted series of out-of-context quotes from Charlie in an effort to tarnish his name and minimize the tragedy, rather than offering condolences or condemning political violence,” chapter president Caleb Chilcutt said.
“There are countless better alternatives, and the fact that the university is choosing McMahon is entirely disappointing to all of us still reeling from his loss. I couldn’t be more disappointed in this university for such a hurtful and callous decision,” he added.
Last week, the university <a href="https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/04/08/uvu-commencement-speaker-sharon-mcmahon-controversy-charlie-kirk-comments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Deseret News that McMahon’s selection had been “overwhelmingly positive” and “well received.”

Political Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead At Utah Valley University

University Where Charlie Kirk Was Assassinated Axes Speaker After Posts Ignite Backlash

Utah

Erika Kirk was scheduled to appear at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia on Tuesday night, but was forced to stay home after receiving what organizers described as “very serious threats.”
Vice President JD Vance still moved forward with his planned appearance and delivered remarks to students at the event, which proceeded as scheduled with TPUSA leader Andrew Kolvet taking Kirk&#8217;s place. Vance addressed Erika Kirk’s absence at the start, saying he had been concerned the event might be canceled. He said he spoke with the Secret Service and ultimately told Kirk to “do what she needs to do for herself and her family.”
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NEWS: Erika Kirk had to skip tonight’s TPUSA event due to threats, <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewKolvet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AndrewKolvet</a> says. He’s interviewing Vice President Vance in her place. <a href="https://t.co/IxJgycjexU">pic.twitter.com/IxJgycjexU</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2044172520446632357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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A Turning Point USA official told The Daily Wire late Tuesday evening that the organization’s security had been monitoring threats to Kirk in the days leading up to the Athens event.
Kirk’s travel location was doxxed numerous times and people were trying to track her arrival and departure, the official said, noting that there were multiple direct threats against Kirk herself specifically. This ultimately led to her security’s assessment that they couldn’t guarantee her safety.
“The event venue itself was fine, especially once VP was on site, but it was the travel portion that was of chief concern,” the official told The Daily Wire. “Her children are one parent away from being orphans and so we take security’s assessments and advice seriously.”
Erika Kirk posted on X during the event, saying that &#8220;after all our family has been through, I take my security team’s recommendations extremely seriously.&#8221;
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I was so looking forward to tonight’s event at the <a href="https://twitter.com/universityofga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@universityofga</a> with our Vice President <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a>, but after all our family has been through, I take my security team’s recommendations extremely seriously. Thank you to our amazing Georgia chapter for your support. God bless you… <a href="https://t.co/f2rBre9ArJ">https://t.co/f2rBre9ArJ</a>
— Erika Kirk (@MrsErikaKirk) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsErikaKirk/status/2044192481240121823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The suspect charged in the assassination of Erika Kirk&#8217;s late husband, TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk’s, remains in custody and faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. Charlie Kirk was assassinated in 2025 while speaking at a campus event. Since then, Erika Kirk has taken on a more public role leading the organization and continuing its work nationwide.
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Newsy remarks from VP Vance:
&#8211; People attacking Erika Kirk instead of those harming the US are part of the problem, not the solution. 
&#8211; He called Kash Patel about the attacks on <a href="https://twitter.com/Savsays?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Savsays</a> on the way down here and Patel promised to investigate the left wing groups involved 
&#8211; He… <a href="https://t.co/ef8Q6WRsqw">pic.twitter.com/ef8Q6WRsqw</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2044177283536068885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Her decision to step back comes as she has also been at the center of a growing controversy involving commentator Candace Owens, who recently announced an “investigative series” targeting Kirk titled “Bride of Charlie.”
The series has sparked backlash across the conservative movement. Daily Wire editor emeritus Ben Shapiro blasted Owens in a recent video, calling Owens an “evil, twisted human being” and accusing her of profiting off Charlie Kirk’s assassination by promoting conspiracy theories and targeting his widow. Shapiro urged Erika Kirk to “sue the living hell” out of Owens over the project.
Vance delivered an emotional defense of Erika Kirk, describing the grief she’s endured since her husband’s assassination and blasting critics who have questioned her.
Vance reflected on the raw, unpredictable nature of grief — saying Kirk has been navigating overwhelming emotions while also trying to preserve Charlie Kirk’s legacy and care for her children, who may grow up without lasting memories of their father.
He said the attacks against her have been “one of the most disgraceful things” he’s seen in public life, before sharing a deeply personal moment he witnessed alongside his wife after Charlie Kirk’s death.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: “The people telling you that Erika wasn&#8217;t grieving her husband are full of shit.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/7qpQUZi80y">pic.twitter.com/7qpQUZi80y</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2044189017604817229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“I was there with her, I was holding her hand, my wife was hugging her while we loaded Charlie’s body onto Air Force Two and said the Lord’s Prayer,” Vance said. “The people telling you that Erika wasn’t grieving her husband are full of sh*t.”
Owens has used her platform in recent months to push a range of claims about the killing of Charlie Kirk, including allegations implicating various figures and institutions — claims that have drawn widespread criticism.
The University of Georgia event was part of a broader campus tour by Turning Point USA aimed at engaging college students nationwide.
This piece was updated with additional information from Turning Point USA.

TPUSA Spring Tour At George Washington University

TPUSA Explains Why Erika Kirk Was Forced To Skip Event With JD Vance

JD Vance

The speaker chosen to deliver the commencement address at the university where Charlie Kirk was assassinated posted about the “harm” of his words shortly after he was killed. 
Backlash is building after Utah Valley University <a href="https://www.uvu.edu/news/2025/sharon-mcmahon-2026-commencement-speaker.html">announced</a> last month that the supposedly “non-partisan” author Sharon McMahon would be speaking at graduation this year, drawing criticism from conservative students over her social media posts after Kirk’s death. Kirk was gunned down on September 10, 2025, while holding one of his popular campus events at the university in Orem, Utah. 
McMahon, who dubs herself “America’s Government Teacher,” is an educator who frequently focuses her criticism on the Trump administration and conservatives. Shortly after Kirk&#8217;s assassination, McMahon posted a series of out-of-context quotes from Kirk to explain why “there is so much backlash to posts eulogizing his death,” claiming that Kirk “was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses” if you were black or Muslim. 
Local outlets have <a href="https://kutv.com/news/local/backlash-at-uvu-follows-selection-of-speaker-tied-to-posts-about-charlie-kirk">reported</a> on the posts, which have since been deleted from social media. 
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words and the ensuing actions his followers took,” McMahon wrote, according to a local CBS affiliate. 
After the university announced that McMahon would be speaking, the Turning Point USA chapter at Utah Valley University <a href="https://x.com/TPUSAatUVU/status/2042340596761997695">released</a> a statement calling the move disappointing. 
“Hours immediately after Charlie’s assassination, Sharon McMahon posted a now deleted series of out-of-context quotes from Charlie in an effort to tarnish his name and minimize the tragedy, rather than offering condolences or condemning political violence,” chapter president Caleb Chilcutt said.
“There are countless better alternatives, and the fact that the university is choosing McMahon is entirely disappointing to all of us still reeling from his loss. I couldn’t be more disappointed in this university for such a hurtful and callous decision,” he added. 
Utah Senator Mike Lee weighed in on the issue, <a href="https://x.com/BasedMikeLee/status/2042774342396973415">writing</a> on X, “Who else thinks UVU should find another commencement speaker?”
The university did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire, but previously <a href="https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/04/08/uvu-commencement-speaker-sharon-mcmahon-controversy-charlie-kirk-comments/">told</a> Deseret News that McMahon’s selection was “overwhelmingly positive” and “well received.”

University Where Charlie Kirk Was Assassinated Taps Speaker Tied To Sick Posts

Mike Lee

CO conspiracy

Debunking The Erika Kirk Conspiracy Theories

assassination

Candace Owens

Conspiracy Theory

Matt Walsh

TPUSA

A Utah judge dismissed an attempt by Tyler Robinson&#8217;s defense team to have the prosecution disqualified on Tuesday, dealing yet another blow to the attorneys defending the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk. 
Robinson’s attorneys argued that the prosecutors should be recused after discovering that a daughter of one of the prosecutors was present at Kirk’s event when the Turning Point USA founder was assassinated on September 10, 2025. State District Judge Tony Graf said the prosecutors can remain on the case as the daughter&#8217;s presence at the event “did not materially influence” the prosecutor&#8217;s actions in the case.
Robinson appeared virtually for Tuesday&#8217;s hearing. He has been charged with aggravated murder, which makes him eligible for the death penalty under state law. 
Judge Graf’s decision on Tuesday keeps Robinson’s trial on track as prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. Robinson’s defense team argued that there was a conflict of interest for the prosecution, since the daughter of deputy county attorney Chad Grunander was in attendance at Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University last September. 
The prosecution <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlie-kirks-suspected-assassin-fights-death-penalty-says-trump-influenced-prosecutor">pushed back</a> on the defense team’s claim, saying there is no conflict of interest with Grunander’s daughter and that she did not have a direct line of sight to the shooter. Grunander’s daughter also testified in court and said she did not realize Kirk had been shot until after she ran to safety, the Associated Press reported. 
Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray said in a filing, “Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case.” 
Graf agreed and said on Tuesday that the daughter had “no unique, relevant information” about the assassination of Kirk that would potentially put her on the witness stand.
Robinson’s attorneys also claimed earlier this month that the prosecution’s quick decision to seek the death penalty was influenced by President Donald Trump, who said shortly after Kirk’s assassination that he hoped the killer would get the death penalty. Gray said that he wanted to decide on pursuing the death penalty quickly to avoid media speculation. 
“The longer you delay that decision … the more delay, then it just creates all this unnecessary speculation and everything else,” Gray said, adding that he did it to prevent “unnecessary angst with the families of victims … so Erika Kirk didn’t have to deal with that uncertainty.”
Judge Graf’s decision comes hours before President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address to Congress, with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/erika-kirk-to-attend-state-of-the-union-as-president-trumps-guest?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=Exclusive&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Erika+Kirk+To+Be+Trump%E2%80%99s+Special+Guest+At+State+Of+The+Union">Erika Kirk in attendance</a> as one of his special guests. Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan reported earlier on Tuesday that Trump will mention both Erika Kirk and her late husband during his speech.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation’s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
The decision marks yet another loss for Robinson&#8217;s defense team. Late last year, Graf said that cameras would be allowed in the courtroom for the trial, dismissing the defense team&#8217;s claim that the media&#8217;s courtroom access could result in an unfair trial for Robinson.

Tyler Robinson

Judge Rejects Bid To Oust Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

Judge Dismisses Defense Effort To Remove Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

Court

Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino teased big announcements on Monday as he prepares to return to the airwaves following his short stint inside the Trump administration.
Bongino <a href="https://x.com/dbongino/status/2008286877355212879">said</a> he wants to push the conservative movement back to foundational principles and call out voices on the Right that he believes are threatening conservatism heading into the important 2026 midterm elections. Despite leaving the FBI last month, Bongino has remained a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump and his agenda.
&#8220;I started in this movement as a candidate during the Tea Party movement, and I began my political commentary career shortly thereafter. I helped build this movement and I sure as hell am not going to let it get hijacked by a group of black-pillers, life-losers, grifters and bums,&#8221; Bongino said.
&#8220;We are a movement guided by truth. The essence of conservative ideology is the preservation of eternal truths. We are not the &#8216;latest thing&#8217; group. We are not political cannibals,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I’ve watched quietly from the inside while doing the job I was hired to do, but I’m back now, and it’s time to restore balance to the force.&#8221;
Bongino&#8217;s return to podcasting and his vow to take on &#8220;grifters and bums&#8221; comes at a defining moment for the conservative movement. Last month, during Turning Point USA&#8217;s AmericaFest, one of the largest events of the year for conservatives, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-at-tpusa-the-right-needs-truth-not-grifters-and-frauds">called out</a> &#8220;grifters&#8221; on the Right — specifically, Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens — for spouting views that are antithetical to conservative ideals.
In an earlier post on Monday, Bongino <a href="https://x.com/dbongino/status/2008250081753927703">promised</a> to reveal the exact date he would return to his show &#8220;soon&#8221; after he spends some time with his family. Bongino <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-dan-bongino-wants-to-go-back-to-his-show?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dan+Bongino+Leaving+FBI%3A+%E2%80%98God+Bless+America%2C+And+All+Those+Who+Defend+Her%E2%80%99">announced</a> on December 17 that he would be leaving the bureau and thanked President Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi for the opportunity to serve as deputy director. Bongino&#8217;s final day was on Saturday, and he appeared to leave on good terms with Trump and Patel.
&#8220;This FBI is saving lives, protecting innocent kids, and taking deadly drugs off our streets at levels not seen in decades. None of it would’ve been possible without Dan’s leadership and support. And he paved the way for even better things to come,&#8221; Patel said on Sunday.
Bongino addressed some of the &#8220;infighting&#8221; on the Right in his post on Monday. Some of the divisions in the conservative movement under the second Trump administration stemmed from the administration&#8217;s handling of the Epstein case, with the FBI playing a major role in the investigation. Bongino, along with Patel and Bondi, were criticized over their work investigating the Epstein files after they concluded that there was no Epstein client list.
Bongino did not mention the Epstein saga in his post on Monday, but said that conservatives need to focus on the upcoming midterm elections and blasted those on the Right who spend their time &#8220;b*tching and whining.&#8221;
&#8220;We’ve got midterms coming up, and there’s no time for bullsh*t. This administration is cooking and REAL change simmers. If you’re spending your entire day b*tching and whining with 3/4ths of the term still to go, then please find the exits,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There’s no time for it. It’s not &#8216;infighting&#8217; when you excise a cancer killing the host. It’s &#8216;outfighting&#8217; because you’re not part of any movement I’m familiar with.&#8221;

Dan Bongino

Bongino Prepares To Take On ‘Grifters And Bums’ In Return To Conservative Commentary

Donald Trump

Epstein Files

At a ceremony in Arizona on the eve of Turning Point USA’s 2025 America Fest, a crowd cheered as Erika Kirk announced that the organization’s headquarters would be renamed the “Buckman Campus.”
Nelda and Karl Buckman donated $10 million to TPUSA this past summer, the largest gift in the organization’s history. Before he was assassinated in September, founder Charlie Kirk told the Buckmans he would rename the campus he built in recognition of their generosity.
&#8220;You know what I loved about Charlie was he wasn&#8217;t afraid to ask,&#8221; Nelda Buckman told The Daily Wire. &#8220;I know that it&#8217;s well invested, and I know that it&#8217;s gonna be well used. I just am so excited to have that opportunity.&#8221;
Buckman said she and her husband were waiting for the sale of their company to close before making the multimillion-dollar donation. She said she&#8217;s thankful it happened this summer, so Kirk received the money before he was murdered.
&#8220;We were able to give it in June, so he knew,&#8221; Nelda said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a joy to be able to do it, really and truly.&#8221;
Charlie&#8217;s relationship with the Buckmans goes back years.
&#8220;The thing about Charlie that was fascinating to me is I would get text messages, and I would think, &#8216;Oh, how neat, he&#8217;s got a great intern sending me a Bible verse.&#8217; Then I found out, no, that was Charlie. Sometimes I would send him a verse back or maybe something funny, but I always thought it was very interesting that Charlie was not too busy to reach out to the people he cared about.&#8221;
Now the philanthropist is spending more time with Erika. They talk TPUSA, expanding the high school division called Club America, but what Nelda says they really enjoy bonding over is motherhood.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlie-kirk-gave-his-team-an-impossible-task-now-theyre-fighting-to-make-it-a-reality?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Charlie+Kirk+Gave+His+Team+An+Impossible+Task.+Now+They%E2%80%99re+Fighting+To+Make+It+A+Reality.">Charlie Kirk Gave His Team An Impossible Task. Now They’re Fighting To Make It A Reality</a>
&#8220;Erika and I talked about womanhood and what our culture has been teaching our young women and what we want to teach our young women.&#8221;
The two met privately in Florida ahead of America Fest and the dedication ceremony, where Nelda said she offered Erika personal support and spoke with her about the challenges of navigating her new reality as a single mother, leading the organization, and carrying forward her late husband’s legacy.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve met several times before, but this was just, just different,&#8221; Nelda said. &#8220;She shared where she&#8217;s putting her boundaries.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1021817" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1021817" class="size-large wp-image-1021817" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Josh Thifault</div>
At the December 17 dedication ceremony, three months after Kirk was fatally shot, Nelda and Erika embraced onstage. Nelda later said she noticed a change in Erika’s eyes, shaped by what she described as the unimaginable experience she had endured.
&#8220;The most beautiful thing to me was seeing her soft eyes again,&#8221; Nelda said.
Buckman noted that Erika has had to be fierce in the face of tragedy, attributing her ability to protect her family and company to her maternal instincts.
&#8220;We as mamas and we as women sometimes have to have those fierce moments, and to be criticized for it is the [saddest] thing.&#8221;
Erika has kept TPUSA going. The college tour continues, and AmFest was the biggest to date. She has promised exponential growth for the organization in honor of Charlie.
&#8220;One of the things that Erika said at the investors meeting in Palm Beach was &#8216;We&#8217;re gonna stay on the path that Charlie had us going on, but we will elevate,&#8217; and I just thought that was such a beautiful way to put it. We&#8217;ll elevate, and we will grow,&#8221; Nelda said.
To say the $10 million donation will help TPUSA grow is an understatement. The Buckmans placed no restrictions or conditions on the gift, saying they simply wanted to see an organization that keeps faith at the center of every decision continue to thrive.
&#8220;We didn&#8217;t put any strings attached to it. It&#8217;s a gift.&#8221;

Credit: Josh Thifault

Turning Point USA Begins New Year With Renamed Headquarters Following $10 Million Gift

Arizona

News

Congress might soon be getting a Gen Z conservative shakeup.
Michael Alfonso, 25, is seeking to replace Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin’s Seventh Congressional District, as Tiffany is running for governor in 2026. The deep red seat was previously held by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is Alfonso’s father-in-law.
Alfonso explained what it’s like being a Gen Z candidate to The Daily Wire’s AmericaFest pre-show earlier this month.
“It&#8217;s going really well. I think everyone was worried about a 25-year-old running for Congress and everyone we&#8217;ve met, no matter how old or young, they&#8217;re excited to see someone that shows them that when the older generation is no longer here, there is still hope for the country,” he said.
He also said that Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September has served as a motivator for him to get politically active in a more direct way.
“I’ve heard it put that it was like seeing a family member die when Charlie got shot. And I think it changed a lot of paths in life. It’s the reason why I’m running for Congress sitting here, and I couldn’t be more appreciative to Turning Point for everything they do and bringing me to this event,” the Republican added, as he also spoke on a panel at the event with other Congressional candidates.
His campaign comes as multiple reports have shown that Gen Z is <a href="https://www.theupandup.us/p/gen-z-teens-conservative-shift-gallup-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more conservative</a> than their parents&#8217; generation, in addition to other research showing that young people are paving the way for increased church attendance, according to the <a href="https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barna Group</a>.
On the issues, he said that immigration and inflation are his top concerns.
“We need to make sure the government isn’t wasting our money on every single thing they do, and we need to make sure that the only people that are here in the United States being a burden or taking tax dollars from the system are United States citizens,” he said.
His wife, Evita Duffy-Alfonso, specifically pointed out that her decision to get married young, as well as coming from a large family, is uniquely counter-cultural.
“So we met for the first time in middle school, so we’ve known each other for a very long time, and I don’t know, I just think, why delay happiness? Why wait?” she said about meeting Alfonso. Her parents famously met on the MTV reality show “The Real World” in the 90s, and now have nine children together.
“If you find someone who you love, who shares your values, why delay that?” she continued.
“&#8217;I need to build my career or get a master’s degree before.&#8217; You put all these restrictions on yourself, and the greatest joys in your life really are your family. It’s your husband, it’s your children,” Duffy-Alfonso added. “I know this because go what my parents demonstrated for me and my siblings… I think a lot of people think that they are going to be happier replaying life, and delaying marriage, and that’s usually not the case.”

How Charlie Kirk Is Inspiring A 25-Year-Old Republican Through His Congressional Bid

Congress

Generation Z

President Donald Trump puts Iran and its proxies on notice, the judge in the Charlie Kirk case rules on the side of transparency, and the United States sees a historical single-year drop in murders.
It’s Tuesday, December 30, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>Trump Hosts Netanyahu At Mar-a-Lago</h2>
President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Monday as both countries face new tensions with Iran. The meeting came as Trump makes an end-of-year push on some of his foreign policy priorities. After the meeting, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-supports-israel-attacking-iran-again-as-he-welcomes-netanyahu-to-mar-a-lago">said</a> that the United States would step in if Iran attempted to rebuild its military, especially its nuclear weapons program. Trump and Netanyahu also discussed the future of Gaza. The president said that “there will be hell to pay” if Hamas refuses to disarm so his peace plan can move forward.
<h2>Judge Orders Release Of Hearing In Kirk Case</h2>
A Utah judge has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-orders-transcripts-audio-to-be-made-public-from-hearing-for-accused-charlie-kirk-assassin?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Judge+Orders+Transcripts%2C+Audio+To+Be+Made+Public+From+Hearing+For+Accused+Charlie+Kirk+Assassin">ordered</a> the release of sealed hearings in the trial against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson. On Monday afternoon, during a hearing on the extent of media access in this case, Fourth District Judge Tony Graf Jr. ordered the release of transcripts and an audio recording from a previously closed-door session held in October. Graf ruled that, given the case&#8217;s high profile, the public has an interest in certain portions of the hearing. He said those portions that could risk the safety of anyone involved in the case can be redacted. Meanwhile, Turning Point USA continues to press forward with Kirk’s conservative mission. Reports indicate that more than 32,000 students have signed up, and the organization is now opening dozens of chapters daily.
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<h2>Murder Rate Plummets In 2025</h2>
According to a new report, 2025 saw the largest single-year drop in murders in American history. There was roughly a 20% drop in homicides from 2024 to 2025, according to the Real Time Crime Index. The drop was 13% from 2023 to 2024. Crime surged in 2021 due to the pandemic, according to the Department of Justice. Democrats have mainly attributed that increase to lockdowns; Republicans say that left-wing policies fueled the rise and led to soft-on-crime officials reaching influential positions in the justice system.

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